Walking Dead Two Worlds
by JLOGOfilmsgames
Summary: Lee Everett stumbles across Clementine during the beginning of a zombie apcolypse, he meets other people trying to survive, people die, friends are made, enemies emerge, it is up to Lee and Sheriff Rick Grimes to lead their group through hardships with twist and turns at every corner. Follows the TV show and events from the game with our favourite characters.
1. Chapter 1 A New Day

**First ever story so please be nice, I accept constructive critism, no flaming, I'm a huge fan of the game and show, never read the comics but I will. You'll notice some characters are not in the first chapter, but there is one character from the show in this episode and I have one OC but don't expect to see more than three throughout my whole story. The chapters will be incredibly long but think of it as an episode on t.v.**

**Episode 1: A New Day**

Atlanta, a city like most, all over the world, streets filled with ordinary everyday people living out their days, working to make enough money to survive. A city where dreams can come true or break, a place littering with the rich and yes the poor as well, a city of safe Haven for some, but even the safest of places contain dangers that lurk in the darkest of places. Was life ever simple? For anyone, No it never is even if it was for some is that a good thing? Everyone struggles in some way, be it physical or mentally. Mankind has fought on through eras upon eras of dangers and struggling, like a small flame it grows and burns life from grass, wood and flesh but mankind hasn't seen something as disastrous as what is on the horizon. Now is the time to survive, day to day as the world goes to shit there will be those who choose to die and there will be those who choose to adapt to this new world as animals who take what they want by fighting for it or there are those who don't forget who they are, those who do not let the dying world take them down with it.

On the long road to Atlanta was a single police car leaving the big city. This police car was driven by a police officer holding the wheel with a steady grip as he watched oncoming traffic from the lane to the left, the officer appeared to be in his mid-50's or so. Judging from his posture he seemed to be a decent looking man who enjoys his work that he has grown accustomed to, by following standard procedures when dealing with a criminal, but somehow the officer did not view the man in the back seat the same way he did with most.

'Lee Everett' that's what his case file reads, don't look like no murderer to me 'The Officer thought to himself as he adjusted the rear view mirror to focus on his 'passenger'. The man in the back seat 'Lee Everett' an African American man, once a University History Professor, age 37. Lee was wearing a blue jacket of some kind with a white polo shirt underneath and he had on blue jeans and a silver watch just below the cuffs. He has Black hair and a light beard that ran around his mouth, under his nose and under his chin. Lee had his head hung low, gazing at the handcuffs holding both of his wrists close together, thinking, wondering, considering or just accepting what he did. Either way it didn't matter anymore, he could never undo what he has done

The Officer straightened himself up by sitting straight and turned his view toward the rear view mirror and said, plain and simple "Well, I reckon you didn't do it, then" the Officer spoke with real honesty in his tone as the words came out and attracting Lee's attention from whatever it was he was thinking about.

Lee was taken aback by that statement and something in his being possessed him to ask "Why do you say that?" curious of this man's reason for believing him to be in some way innocent even though it was quite obvious that he had done what he was convicted for.

" Y'know I've driven a buncha fella's up to this prison, Lord knows how many, usually is bout now I get the I didn't do it" the Officer seemed convinced of the matter and he clearly has the experience to back it up but Lee knew he couldn't hide from this crime he committed but now he his mind was set on nothing else and for whatever reason, he assumed the Officer was a decent enough man to talk to and asked a question regarding the Officers statement

"Every time?" and within an instant the Officer responded "Every time" and then they remained silent for a short while which gave Lee a chance to view the inside of the Police Car and seeing the Officers Shotgun through the diamond shaped bars and the possibly bullet proof glass 'Serious firepower he's get there' Lee thought to himself before a voice through the radio caught his attention

A man on the radio came through and stated "We've got what looks like a 10-iE near Peachtree Exit of 285, All Cars asked to help keep on the lookout for a 9iv in the area". Lee had no idea what any of that meant but he didn't really care either, his mind was too focused on trying to understand why did he do it how could he do such a thing?

Lee noticed through his intensive thinking that the Officer was keeping a close eye on him through the front rear view mirror, not that Lee could blame the man, he was a man convicted of murdering the state Senator, whether the Officer felt he was innocent or not, he had every reason to have some sort of doubt in the matter

"I followed your case a little bit, you being a Macon Boy and all" the Officer replied after staring at the convicted man in his back seat through the rear view mirror for almost a minute and Lee had been doing the same, although he had no reason too but he did grow tired of watching an endless array of similar looking cars with different coats of paint drive by on the left lane

Lee pressed himself to ask a question, not wanting to come across as an asshole or something even if that's what most people will now think of him as but the Officer was at least willing to speak to him and that was worth something Lee thought "You're from Macon then?"

"Yep came up to Atlanta to be a city cop in the seventies, Always wanted to work a murder case like that Senatorial mess you got yourself mixed up in, with all due respect". A Cop car on the left lane suddenly shot past toward the city with sirens blaring and Lee watched with a slight amount of curiousness as to what could be going on in the city while the Officer added "A real shame that is".

Lee was dumbfounded by the fact that this man of the law strongly believed that he really didn't murder the state senator even though the evidence was clear as day. Lee somehow sensed that he was being sympathetic toward him, not that he needed him to be after all he was a convicted killer and Lee himself knew he could never forgive himself for what he has done to the state senator… or his wife.

"Hell the whole family used to be regulars at your folks drugstore right in downtown, still there?" The Officer explained and Lee was happy to hear that, his family and all, considering that he hasn't seen or heard from them in a long while. '2, 3 months ago' he thought to himself and the place was still living and breathing with smiling and familiar faces coming in to browse through their products which was nothing new because most people loved and respected them and Lee's parents were always ready to assist every person that walked through the door, Lee was wishing he could have done the same; helping people but he wouldn't be able to for some time if ever

Lee almost forgot to answer the Officer's question "Sure is" he spoke with a small smile on his face which the Officer caught sight of "Good" he replied and was pleased to hear of the drugstore still being up and running after all those years he's spent in Atlanta.

A second round of Radio chatter came through that sound more serious and easier to understand than the first one. "Be advised to all medical personnel on route to Hartsfield, various 10's and 20's coming in" 'That doesn't sound too good' he thought, from the sounds of it there must have been one big accident in Atlanta to require 10 to 20 'Medical personnel'

It was quiet again which gave Lee more time to contemplate his recent actions "I've got a nephew up in the UGA, you teach there long?" he knew the silence would short lived but he didn't mind learning something about this man, not like he would get the chance to anymore

Lee nodded and responded "Going on my sixth year" 'or was' he added to his guilt ridden thoughts, he knew he was getting what he deserved but he regrets what he's done and it wouldn't be long until he reaches 'the joint' as some of his students have called it or there was 'the slammer', 'the big house' or to his displeasure of hearing this word from his students 'the shit hole'.

The next question was from the Officer and it was a real slap in the face situation "You meet your wife in Athens?". How could he respond to that?, he just found his wife cheating on him with some smartly dressed politician.

Lee lowered his head in disgust not of the question or the impact of the question but thinking back and wondering 'where did I go wrong?'. Lee felt betrayed by his wife after feeling a bit sick while teaching, he decided to call sick and go home and he strongly believed that his wife would be away on business but finds her in bed with a state fucking senator.

Lee was generally disgusted by his wife's actions as he knew he could never do such a thing to her but considering what he did next, it wasn't as disgusting as murdering a man through anger and jealousy, at first he wanted to believe that what he did was an accident but he didn't want to pretend any more, he was a murderer.

The Officer realised that the question would sting but he wanted the man to talk about it and see that it was a big misunderstanding, an accident even "You wanna know how I see it?" he asked hoping to ease his conscience of these demons that didn't seem to exist in his lawful eyes.

Lee was in deep thought, not sure whether or not he should be talking about his wife or whether he wanted too but his deep thoughts were interrupted by another Police siren but louder and he watched as four Polices cars drove by at a break neck pace with one Black Police van in the middle of the four vehicles heading to Atlanta.

Lee hardly registered the Police vehicles going by with their blaring sirens going off, he was in another deep thought and hardly noticed. Lee was very hesitant to talk about his personal life with his wife with a stranger, even if he was a decent man he wasn't sure whether he should but whatever the reason was he took a deep breath and answered "Sure".

The Officer seemed astonished that this Lee Everett character was willing to hear him out but he wasn't sure whether he should when he spotted that look he received through the rear view mirror. It looked like it was a death glare or even a dare, but regardless he felt that as a man of the law it was his duty to help people in dire need, even the falsely accused people deserve a shot.

"Regardless, it could just be you married the wrong woman" the Officer stated after allowing his response to settle in.

In a lot of ways Lee wanted to believe that was true but he knew he was no saint as he never did like the fact that his wife was always away on business, maybe he was too controlling? Perhaps or maybe the Police Officer WAS right… or maybe she married the wrong man. Lee was about to say that she married the wrong man but he felt that meant he was a bad person and he didn't believe he was, he did whatever he could to help his students with afterschool school learning sessions and occasionally lent some money to some for lunch or other necessities. At one point he even willingly filled in for the Math teacher after having a tripping incident and received a very painful leg injury and Lee only knew the basics to teaching maths.

Lee let out a frustrated groan through a deep breath and before long another tale came from the Officer in the driver's seat "I'm driving this man once, h-he was the worst one. He wouldn't stop going on about how he didn't do it." While the man continued talking, Lee couldn't help but notice a helicopter heading toward the city with **four more police cars and two more Black Police vans** 'What the hell is happening back there?' He wondered before returning to the man's story of a previous criminal he had in this car.

"He was an older fella. Big, soft eyes behind a pair of smart folk glasses, and he's just wailing back there, says it wasn't him. Crying and snotling all over, right where your sitting". Lee found himself interested by this story but then another load of radio chatter came through on the radio but it was quickly cut off by the Officer who was keen on telling his story and he was somewhat glad as well because he was intrigued to hear what happened next.

"Then before long he starts kicking the back of the seat, li-like a fussy baby on an airplane, and I tell him he's gotta stop, that that's government property and I'll be forced to zap him otherwise. So he stops, and having exhausted all his options, he starts crying out for his mama".

Lee felt like chuckling but his guilt weighed heavier than his need to let out a laugh but his attention on the Officer's story was still very much evident as he continued and started pitifully mimicking his previous convicted killer. "Mama , it's all a big mistake. It wasn't me!".

Lee may not know the full story but given what the Officer has said it wasn't very hard to guess this person was a killer. Not that he was one to talk but he admitted to killing the state senator in his head, but told the court it was an accident however the case declared it was an attempted murder to some degree but he knew what he had done and now he was ready to pay for his crime.

Lee had to question the Officer regarding this man he once had screaming in the backseat "So, did he do it?" and in almost an instant the lawmen replied "They caught the fucker red handed! Stabbing his wife, cutting her up as the boys came through the door! He sits in my car screaming bloody murder that it wasn't him! I think he actually believed it himself".

'Seems like he did' Lee thought and then he started comparing his murdering of the state senator to the murdering of another man's wife. In some way Lee believed it wasn't his wife's fault which may explain why he felt the need to attack him in the first place. He hated his wife when he realised that she was cheating on him but he could never stab her for that, hell he couldn't stab a man for that matter, it meant it would be personal and Lee realised that maybe he was never meant to purposely kill the senator, it just happened and now he was getting his just desserts.

However this other man made it personal and denied what he did even after being caught red handed, Lee accepted what he did was evil and wondered how he could live with himself?.

The Officer had more to say and for some reason it felt like the most important quote he has ever heard, it kept repeating in his mind, over and over "It goes to show, people will up and go when they believe their life is over".

Lee couldn't help but believe those words, words of wisdom he believe they were and they contained real meaning. The Officer started talking again, ready to tell another story but something caught Lee's eyes in the distance, he tell what it is and he started squinting his eyes to see what it was and then he realised what it was 'Shit! Civillian!'. "I gotta another good one for ya! This one's a little bit less depressing and a bit more hilarious" someone was walking onto the road and Lee froze with trying frantically to get the words out.

"if I do say so" Lee became horrified and panicked while the cop kept talking, not watching the road. Lee had only a few seconds do something but all he could do was shout ferociously loud "Watch Out!" overlapping what would most likely be the Officer's last words "This other time-".Too late the car suddenly smashed into the civilian sending him flying above the car, most likely dead and the sudden thud made the Officer's heart jump to hell and the impact forced the Vehicle to spiral out of control, toward the metal railing on the side of the road. The speed combined with the strength of the Police car, it rammed right through the railing with such powerful force that everything in the front seat was sent flying all over the place including a red medical kit. Glass began to shatter from the impact of every bump going down what must have a steep hill and the clanking and clunking of the vehicle echoed all the way down as the Officer bashed his head into the ceiling a couple of times with his arms flailing uncontrollably. Lee however was being thrown all about the backseat without a seatbelt to protect him he was flung from side to side and getting pretty banged up until he finally passed out.

Nothing but pitch blackness all around, Lee couldn't find the strength to move, he just lied there wherever he was. Lee was almost completely unconscious, head started to spin, wooziness took its hold and then all of a sudden a flicker of hope occurred when Lee slowly opened his eyes and greeted by blurring vision. Blood stained the backseat and upon the unbroken window and then something or someone in black just past the window and a human figure was looking down from atop the hills where they crashed. An echoing shout ringed in his ears but he couldn't make out any of the words all he could hear was someone shouting and within seconds Lee heard screaming and a thundering sound, gunshot? His eyes closed slipping back into unconsciousness.

It felt like minutes later that he opened his eyes again and everything seemed densely grey like smoke and he could hear the screaming again but it sounded slightly weaker but louder at the same. The screaming suddenly stop and all he heard was a couple of moans before closing his eyes and passing out once more.

"uh…owww…shit." Lee moaned as he woke up moving his leg only to be met with excruciating pain all over but his leg was hurting most, hurting like hell more like it. Lee forced himself to move by sitting on a better angle to get up until he realised that he was handcuffed still, looking at the cuffs and then he lightly jiggled them, letting out a sigh or perhaps a moan and said "…thirsty".

Lee tried to remove the handcuffs forcefully by trying to rip it off with brute strength by flexing his hands apart but was all over him when he did "aahh fuck, my leg". Pain, noticing the blood stains around the knee portion of his jeans, pain was piercing through his body when he moved. Lee turned his head around looking to the front of Police Car to find there was no driver, no chattering Officer, no one.

Lee turned his head back and noticed a broken window and just outside was the Lawmen's shotgun he saw earlier "Why the hell did he have his Shotgun out?" and then a possible answer came to him "Maybe it was tossed from car during the crash". Lee dismissed the shotgun and saw the opening where a blood trail was leading toward an unconscious or perhaps dead Police Officer. All Lee could do was panic, 'he's probably dead' he thought but he needed to sure if he was alive or not "Hey! Hey Officer! Are you all right? I'm still cuffed back here!".

When he was met with no response he decided to try again "OFFICER! That doesn't look good; He wasn't ejected from the car…". Lee realised that the man outside had survived the crash, made it out of this wreck and then what? 'What happened to him?' he questioned himself. Lee tried to get a better look at the motionless man on the ground outside the wreck "He's not moving".

Lee wanted to struggle himself free of these damn handcuffs but he realised he would only risk hurting himself more but while looking at the Police Officers dead corpse, he guessed that the only way out of this mess was to get the handcuff keys "He must have the handcuff keys on him".

Lee remembered seeing the window behind him when he first woke and it was smashed to hell like the one he was looking through now. He knew he couldn't squeeze through the cracked window 'Cut myself up worse if I do' he pondered to himself. Lee looked back at the window behind him and began to slowly and carefully shift himself from his awkward position on the backseat until his efforts had him facing the unbroken window with small traces of his blood on it or at least he thinks it is.

Lee pulled himself back a bit to give his unwounded leg some space, knowing he had to smash the window in order to escape. Lee retracted his good leg until his knee came close to his stomach and forced a good kick at the window, leaving small crack in the centre, giving a slight moan when he did, due to his injuries. Lee repeated this process three times and on the fourth kick he smashed the remainder of the window off allowing him a safe passage out of the car.

"I need to… drag myself out that window" he spoke in a strained voice and that's exactly what he intended on doing. Lee then proceeded to drag himself closer to the smashed out window where he then flung his handcuffed hands forward grabbing on the outside surface of the door and as carefully as he could. Lee pulled himself up and with one more burst of strength pulled himself out through the window where he landed with a thud and a hurt felt groan as he slid up against the side of the Police car.

Lee was struggling to get up to his feet but he managed to do so but the pain in his leg was too intense and ended up falling against the car unable to put much force in his step without his bleeding leg aching. Nevertheless he dragged himself forward, leaning on the car to support his body from collapsing. Once reaching the trunk of the car he got a better sight of the scenery and the motionless Officer.

The Woods seemed to be an appropriate name for this general location, 'Don't want to be out here after dark' Lee thought to himself. The man shifted his view from the downed Police officer toward the Shotgun and a single shotgun shell not far from it, 'Why would I need it? One is enough' Lee voiced in his head, referring to the state Senator. 'Don't need it anyway' he added to his train of thoughts as he looked at the body lying on the ground, strangely enough his instincts were telling him to be careful, his heart was beating slightly faster as he decided to get closer, see if he's alive, if not, get rid of the handcuffs and find help.

Lee was only a few steps away and decided to check again "Officer?" no response, so he approached the man in lawmen uniform until he was standing over him. 'What the…' Lee saw the Officer's pale skin and blood underneath him, 'Oh God' he thought knowing now that the friendly Police Officer who believed him innocent was dead. Lee would say something before he leaves but for now, the hand cuff keys were his main priority right now. Keys were hanging from the man's belt, he didn't want to loot a dead man it was wrong no matter how you look at it but he had to just this one time. Lee had no other option, his leg was severely injured and if he showed up to a hospital with handcuffs around his wrist, lord knows what'll happen.

He reached for the keys that turned out not to be attached the man's belt at all, thankfully and brought it up to his wrist and placed the key inside the key hole, it was hard enough to do it in this angle and when he started twisting the key some more and it slipped out of his hand landing right beside the Officers face.

"Shit" he blurted and 'it had to land right there, didn't it?' he sighed, annoyed but why was suddenly nervous as he bent down a bit and slowly lowered his hands halfway down to the handcuff keys, hands shaking, twitching, attempting to grab them but stopped for a second. Lee took one quick breath and quickly nabbed the keys from the ground, letting out a small frightened yelp as if he was about to get up and grab him. Much to Lee's relief, nothing happened and he proceeded with his second attempt at removing the cuffs from his wrist.

Lee again put the key inside the key hole rotating it until he heard a satisfying click and off came one cuff and he placed the key into his free hand and repeated the same process until the handcuffs fell to the ground making a small clink upon impact. Lee massaged his sore wrist when a sound caught his attention, it came from… "Guuhhhh" and then the man's arm flinched.

"uh Officer?" Lee questioned when suddenly the Cop lunged toward him knocking Lee to the ground but he quickly recovered, taking quick notice of the 'things' face, skin pale as snow and blood foaming from the mouth like a rabid wolf. "Holy Shit!" he shouted as began to frantically reverse himself, crawling backwards away from the crazy Lawmen until his back was resting against the cop car. Lee was frantically searching for a way out but his leg was busted, he caught a quick glimpse of the shotgun shell from before and remembered the Shotgun being on the left. "Get away from me!" he shouted but the man was looking to claw his face off, Lee was terrified as it made disturbing sounds and Lee realised he would die if he didn't do something quick.

Lee made a reach for the Shotgun shell why? He didn't fucking know and then to his left the Shotgun itself, he snatched the gun an instant while shouting "What the hell are you!?" but got no response only more clawing and more gagging noises. Lee quickly shoved the shell into the barrel of the gun but he was fidgeting too much that he dropped it "Shit!" he shouted. Lee reached for the shell one more time and this time he was able to load the gun more steadily this time. Once loaded he aimed the shotgun at the feral man's head and giving one last warning "Don't make me do this!". He dreaded doing this but (BOOM).

The Officers head was blasted, leaving a large section of the man's head… gone. The body fell to the ground truly dead, Lee held the Shotgun close to him not quite sure it was dead but then again nothing could survive that. Lee watched as the blood came pouring out from what was left of the Officer's head and brain. Lee was breathing heavily for a few precious seconds before his widened but what he just did 'NO' he mentally said as he tossed the gun away from him, away from his killer hands. Not wanting to be believe he just killed another man, even if it was self-defence, he felt worse for killing a good Police Officer than some smartly dressed politician "Man…" he replied still in quite a shock.

Lee just stared at the dead body of good Police Officer that he killed, catching wind of the smell, disgusting stench and he quietly whispered to himself "His skins all rotten… and he smells like shit. What the hell is this?". Lee looked up searching his surroundings for something, anything to take his mind away from this. Nothing but tree's, rocks bushes and… wait, 'Who's that? '.

Someone in the distance, someone in white clothing from the looks of them. Lee knew exactly what it looked like from that person's angle but he was injured and scared to hell. Lee shouted to the unknown figure "HELP! Go get someone! There- There's been a shooting!". The figure must have sensed the lie in his words as he or she turned around and ran.

'Shit' he mentally slapped himself for lying but what else could he say? the truth? He'd be worse off given his current predicament. 'What do I do?' He asked himself when something caught his ears 'wait what was that?' he wondered. Sounds like moaning similar to the noises that the rotten fleshed Officer made 'Oh shit' the moans were getting louder, he turned to his left and spotted another one of those 'people' emerging from behind a tree, wait… two of them?

Lee literally pushed himself to his feet, enduring the agonising pain in his leg. He took only two steps forward forgetting about the Cops body and tripped over landing on his shoulder, groaning in pain but forcing himself to move faster as they were almost near him. Lee was moving as fast as his leg could manage, looking back to see they were too close and he had to get some distance from them. Looking to his left he saw three more rotten flesh people growling, gagging noises aiming for him and he let out a frightened gasp when saw there were more. He moved faster passing one leaning against a tree missing a fucking arm 'What the fuck is this!?' he screamed in his head while looking away from the feral creature. Lee's leg gave in to the pain and tumbled to the ground and one of those things was almost on top of him but he made an effort to crawl to safety, over the hill, he saw a tall wooden fence and managed to get back on his two feet. Three of those things were right on his tail and another appeared on his left, he looked back until he came to the fence.

Lee used both arms to grab onto the top of the fence using all of his remaining strength to pull himself over but lost his balance while climbing over and landed in someone's back yard, hard on his ass.

Those things kept coming until they were all flailing there rotten, fleshy arms against the fence causing Lee a scare and frantically crawled away from the fence knowing those things could tear through the fence with the amount he saw. Lee came to a stop when he reached a wall by what appeared to be a garden but he was still generally afraid as those things continued pounding their arms against the fence trying to get to him just like the Cop did.

Out of nowhere a gunshot went off drawing Lee's attention to it and within a few seconds the thudding sounds came to a halt as those things decided to draw their attention elsewhere. Then there came another gunshot echoing through the town, almost taunting those foul creatures. Lee used the wall to support himself as he stood back up still facing in the direction of the gunshot.

Lee took a moment to catch his breath, having endured such horrors for too long with a busted leg it was nice to catch his breath through a sigh of relief, 'safe… for now at least' he head was right about that.

Lee moved his way to the centre of the back yard and out of sheer fright and loneliness he shouted "HELLO!... Anybody!" hoping that someone from before would appear to help him or anybody that didn't have blood dripping from its lips. 'Shit' realising no one was around 'where is everyone?'.

Lee was in the clear for now, and took his time to observe the back yard that he had rounded up in, while trying to regain his strength. Lee took notice of the small red wagon parked near what seemed to be a tree house. The wagon wheels were rusted and there were traces of dirt marks in the wagon and on the outside too, it was obvious that it had not been used in a long time.

The air smelled of smoke, burning metal, car crash possibly if there is more of those 'things' in fact when his was climbing over the fence he noticed smoke that looked fairly close to here.

The middle aged man looked slightly to the left of the wagon and just by the tree house was some teacups place on top of a nicely laid out mat, purple frame on the outside and white in the centre. "I'd fill one of those teacups with some bourbon if I could" after everything he just saw in the woods, he definitely knew he needed some sort of alcohol right about now, or any kind of liquid for that matter, still very thirsty. Lee didn't think much of the red garden chair it seemed out of place in his opinion at least. He also noticed a big amount of space taken up by a pool, covered of course and humourlessly thought of going for a dip.

After looking away from the pool he took a quick glance at the tire swing, he looked up at the tree house and believed it could serve as a good hiding place from those things until he noticed 'No ladder' Lee gave out an irritated scoff and added to his mental statement 'I'm not getting up there anyway, this leg the way it is'. Lee was annoyed by the injured leg of his; it was slowing him down and… Lee suddenly thought of something about the tree house, 'maybe someone's up there' perhaps. Lee was hoping there was and not a rotten one but he hadn't heard or seen any movement from the tree house but he needed to be cautious in his current position. Lee cuffed a hand to the side of his mouth so he had less of a chance at attracting them things and spoke at a medium level volume to see if someone was inside "Anybody up there?". Lee got no response but he recalled the events that just took place in the woods and the person he saw, he believed it was a little girl now that he had time to think about it "I thought I saw a little girl in the forest". The desperate man tried again this time with hope that there was a little girl in there "Are you up there? I'm not one of those things" and again he got nothing.

Lee came to a conclusive answer "I guess it's empty". He felt like falling to the ground, feeling now more alone than ever, there were sounds but the gentle echo of the wind, he felt like there was no one left in this world. Lee then shouted "Please… please… Someone… someone… anybody" his voice weakening with each word that slipped from his mouth, like he was going cry or something, lowering his head til he was staring at the ground. Lee felt like shit, mentally and physically, busting his leg and having to kill that Police Officer really put a toll on his soul. If he didn't find help soon those things would surely get to him, perhaps there was someone inside the house that could help him.

The sky was a yellow, orange, grey colour, his watch read '5:20' which meant he needed to hurry, something told him things would get much worse after dark.

Lee limped his way toward the steps, managing to get up the steps no problem and he made his way over to the glass door. 'I wonder if anybody's home' he thought to himself, but judging from how dark it was in there and the TV screen beaming blue, he guessed someone WAS but not anymore. Regardless he couldn't take the chance and be accused of being a burglar so he lightly knocked on the glass door "Hello, Anybody home? I need a little help" but unfortunately no one replied which was both unfortunate and concerning "There's something going on" he murmured with a worried look in his eyes.

Lee couldn't wait outside with those things walking about, Lee reached the door handle with his right hand and tugged at it, 'jammed? No need to give it a bit more umph' he needed to use more force and using both hands to got the door open easily "Comin in, don't shoot, OK?".

Lee stepped inside the house, closing the door behind, the light from outside created a dark shadow on the floor. Lee turned around and another blast of pain pierce through his aching knee "Ah! Shit?" placing his hands on the wound hoping to ease his pain but it did nothing 'Need help' he thought before taking a step forward and calling out to let whoever might be in the house aware of his presence "Hello?... I'm not an intruder… or one of THEM".

'Holy Shit' was his first thought that came to mind when he saw the TV turned on with a bright blue screen, no lights on, a stool tipped over, the kitchen ravaged to hell and the most concerning thing was blood staining the kitchen floor. Lee's eyes were widened almost abnormally with horror, his heart beat was racing by the sheer look of this place and by the fact that there was no one around, probably better that way, could've been those things from the woods. "These people might need more help than I do" was all he could say as he observed the place once more registering everything out of the ordinary.

Lee noticed a bowl of fruit on the table; it felt wrong to just go into someone's house and have a snack but it seemed to be empty and Lee hadn't eaten all day, well unless you count a ham and cheese sandwich that was thrown at him by an aggressive Police Chief looking feller, chubby and bald. Lee walked, or rather he limped toward the table, looking at the bowl of fruit; oranges, apples, pears and banana's. He reached for a banana and quickly realise it was hard plastic "It's fake, Damn" he cursed as his stomach grumbled in frustration. Lee took notice of the plate on the table, no food on the plate and a cup lay down beside it, empty as well "Furniture overturned, blood everywhere… Jesus".

Lee turned to the counter behind him; one chair was standing whereas the other one was tipped over on the floor. On the counter was an opened book with a blank page with white, green and black crayons on top of the page. The other page was a picture of a happy unicorn with a bushy tail and two uncoloured stars around it while standing on a patch of grass 'Something must've happened while the kid was colouring'. Lee couldn't think of a kid becoming one of those things, it wasn't possible but from what he saw maybe it was.

Lee had to back away from the counter unable to think of the possible horrors going on in the streets and wondering maybe this house belonged to that little girl he saw in the woods but where was she?, on second thought he didn't want to think about it right now. The atmosphere seemed very grim, hopeless and if there was no one here?, what would he do then? He didn't have anywhere to go and his parents would know by now what he did, he was somewhat convinced they were dead anyway.

Lee dismissed his worst fears for now and headed for the kitchen, gazing down at a puddle of blood "Jesus…" he couldn't hold it in any longer or he'd throw up, but he decided best to check the kitchen for a drink or food or something useful. Lee tried to step over the blood spill but he couldn't and had to put one step in the puddle but next thing Lee knew he had crashed to the floor, almost bashing his head into the wall, moaning in agonising pain. The pain surged through his whole body as he carefully placed his hands on the blood puddle floor lifting himself to his feet, groaning the whole way up. Most of the blood on his hands spilled back onto the floor, but his pants had a bigger blood stain and he brushed his hands on his thin layer jacket getting what he could off.

After a quick recovery from his trip he walked over to sink following the blood stained footsteps, he wouldn't gone to the refrigerator but a desk was blocking Lee from getting in to it but he noticed a cup of water by the sink so he decided to take that instead. It was refreshing, he smiled, just what he needed but it was not enough to quench his thirst but for now it would have to do.

Lee checked most of the cupboards and saw nothing worth taking "This place has been ransacked, just about anything worthwhile is gone". Lee checked a few more draws but all he found was kid friendly silverware, paper towels and flour nothing useful at all, although he could use the paper towels to clean his wound but first he needed to be absolutely sure whether or not someone was home. Lee made sure to leave every cupboard door open if he has checked them, in case he checked the same one twice but there was one drawer he hadn't checked; beside the refrigerator.

Lee limped over to the last drawer, opening it to find what looked like a walkie-talkie, he had a feeling that it would come in handy 'Should be useful, once I find the other one' he explained to himself not knowing why, maybe it made him feel less alone.

Again he heard the answering machine beep and then the male voice repeated "There are Three New Messages", Lee had chosen to ignore it when he first came inside, needing to be sure if the house was safe or not first but apart from the furniture being 'rearranged' there didn't seem to be anyone home.

Lee shoved the Walkie-talkie in his back pocket for now, and made his across the kitchen and making sure to avoid the blood puddle altogether by keeping his left hand on the counter and he made it safely enough with more on his shoes as the only consolation. Lee saw the red light on the answering machine flash every two seconds and headed over to the machine sitting on a small table with a box underneath the table. Lee gazed at the answering machine panel for a moment to find the 'play' button, he found it, wasn't hard it was glowing red, the circular button with a glowing red triangle pointing east, Lee pressed the glowing button creating that piercing beep noise again.

The Machine was ready to read out the messages "There are Three New Messages" Lee gave a light frustrated groan and muttered "I know that already".

"Message one, left at five-forty three, pm." Lee had no idea what day these messages were sent but he was guessing maybe a day or two ago, it was hard to say.

"Hey Sandra, this is Diana. We're still in Savannah. Ed had a little 'incident' with some crazy guy near the hotel, so we had to get him back to the ER and have it checked out. Anyway, he's not feeling well enough to drive back tonight, so we're staying an extra day. Thanks so much for looking out for Clementine, and I promise we'll be back in time before your spring break!". Lee placed his hand under his chin trying to piece the situation together in his head. 'A crazy guy? I wonder if it was one of those things I saw in the woods… shit'. 'Clementine… hmmm could that have been her I saw earlier?, and that must've been her mother, and if that was Clementine I saw… where is she now? And where is this babysitter? Shit! I don't like this'.

The next message played out "Message two, left at eleven-nine-teen pm." Lee was expecting this message to be more depressing as he calculated the time since the first message to this one and it had been five hours and thirty six minutes sine the first message was sent.

"Oh my god, finally! I don't know if you've tried to reach us; all the calls are getting dropped. They're not letting us leave and aren't telling us anything about Atlanta. Please, please, just leave the city and take Clementine with you back to Marietta. I've got to get back to the hospital. Please let me know that you're safe". 'Savannah must have been quarantined when it got out of hand, and if those things are in Atlanta… Jesus, this isn't good'. The world was falling to shit and things were getting worse, Lee decided once he listens to this last message, he needed to find this girl, find any survivors and figure out a way to fix whatever's going on, if there even was a way.

"Message three, left at six fifty one am". 'At that hour, shit… this can't be good'.

"Clementine? Baby if you can hear this, call the Police. That's 9-1-1. We love you… we love you… we love y-". Lee wiped his hand over his face and then using it to cover his mouth in shock realising how this little girl would feel if her parents were dead, she'd be devastated by this. Lee noticed a family photo sitting on the table beside the machine; he picked it up for a closer inspection. As Lee observed the picture he realised something, squinting his eyes to focus 'Wait a second that's-' "Daddy?".

Lee heard a little girl's voiced coming from his back pocket, the walkie-talkie, he had almost forgotten about it and he reached into his pocket and pulled it out holding it in his hand for a second. He was sure it was the girl Clementine from the photo and her mother's message but decided it was best he keep it all to himself until he knew more, he pressed and held the button, limping over to the glass door and spoke into the walkie-talkie "…Hello?" releasing the button and waited for a response.

The little girl's voice came through seconds later "You need to be quiet." Lee was caught off guard by the warning, but realising why, he decided to move away from the glass door so he would not draw too attention heading toward the table.

Lee needed to be sure the little girl was all right, her parents were gone and she could have been injured by those things, he was deeply hoping she wasn't hurt and he wanted her to know he was friendly. "Are you OK?" he asked in a soft voice to keep her calm and he had to get her to trust her and let her know he means her no harm.

The little girl seemed to find the man nice enough to trust but she wasn't sure what to think yet "I'm OK, they tried to get me, but I'm hiding until my parents come home". Lee couldn't tell her about the fate of her parents, he may not know for sure they were dead but if they weren't chance were they had become one of creatures. Hearing that would break her heart and he didn't wan't to that to a little girl who believes they're alive.

Lee needed to gain her trust by showing compassion, Lee limped his way into the living room standing beside the couch and asked in his soft voice "What's your name?".

Lee took a seat on the couch as replied "I'm Clementine, this is my house." He had a feeling it was her and responded in a polite manner "Hi Clementine, I'm Lee" telling her his name would help the girl know his was a good man, albeit a convicted killer but he could never hurt a little girl, that would be sick.

Lee was becoming concerned about Clementine, she was all alone and those things were in the woods and possibly in the streets. Lee didn't want to lie about her parents but telling the truth would devastate her and had to pretend he had no prior knowledge of her parents in Savannah as she might view Lee as a stranger and most parents tell their kids to stay away from strangers but this case was different "Where are your Parents?".

Lee got up from the couch and took another quick browse through the house and heading back into the kitchen, leaning, moving against the wall and avoiding the blood spill entirely this time and listening to the little girl on the walkie "They took a trip and left me with Sandra. They're in Savannah, I think. Where the boats are".

Lee stood over the sink by the window and he felt like he was gaining her trust and he was worried about her and where she was hiding, wondering whether or not it was safe "Are you safe?".

Clementine replied "I'm outside in my tree house. They can't get in" and Lee was very impressed by her logic, for a little girl she was very clever "That's smart". Lee's hasn't ever really interacted with little children but he was glad to hear he was doing a fair job of it which would be necessary as he will have to take her with him or eventually-.

"See? Can you see me? I can see you through the window" Lee quickly returned to reality and saw the little girl in the tree house, black curly hair, wearing reasonably warm looking clothing for this kind of weather, a white undershirt, dark legged pants, and a baseball cap. Lee recognised her immediately as the little girl in the woods and the one in the photo. Lee waved at Lee through the window and he smiled happily knowing she was safe and waved his hand without motioning it, she looked happy enough.

Suddenly out of the blue Clementine screamed through the walkie-talkie which startled Lee greatly but then he heard a growling sound behind him and he turned around and the creature was already on him, Lee grabbed the arms, holding it back as it mindlessly attempted to bite him. Lee was able was able to shove it away from him and it fell to the floor leaning against the oven and Lee seized his chance and ran but forgot about the blood puddle, slipping and bashing his head on the edge of the counter pretty damn hard. Lee's vision when blurry, distorted but he could see it crawling toward him growling and Lee put his foot up and kicked it in the head falling back. Lee forced himself up, moaning from his leg injury and he made another attempt to escape but the thing grabbed his foot causing him to fall to the floor again. The creature was top of him again; unable to kick it this time instead he punched it in the face.

Clementine had climbed her way down from her tree house holding a blunt hammer and she frantically ran up the steps to help the man as he seemed nice enough to her and she opened the sliding glass door watching, horrified to see her babysitter trying to get him. The creature grabbed at Lee's foot, pulling at him, Lee tried to kick it again but failed as it climbed on top of him flailing it's arms at him and Lee was struggling to stop it until he was able to force it off with his bare hands. Lee started to reverse away from it, crawling backwards to the door where Clementine was standing with the hammer trembling in her hands "Here" she said, holding the hammer. Lee reached around seeing the frightened look on her face and he took it as gently as he could, so as not to her hurt her.

The female creature was on top again but it was the last time as Lee swung the hammer to the cranium and immediately stood up and the thing looked like it was backing away until put his foot down on the upper chest holding it in place and he repeatedly bashed it in the head with the hammer, getting weaker with each blow to the head. Blood was running out from its head as he delivered the final blow, aggressively shouting as he dug the hammer fair between the eyes and brutally yanked it from the head with Blood simply pouring onto the carpet.

Lee stood up with fresh blood now staining his jacket some more. He bent down placing both hands on his knee's trying to catch his breath "Man…". Lee noticed the little girl Clementine standing by the door horrified by what she saw, all of it. "Hi there" breathing heavily as Lee glanced over at Clementine, slowly and cautiously moving away from her babysitters dead corpse that she wasn't sure was dead "Did you kill it?".

Lee was sure it was, nothing could survive a beating like that but something confirmed in his mind as he thought back to the Police Officer and noticed the same thing for this one as well. Lee looked at the little girl noticing the anxiousness in her eyes, she was afraid it was still alive but Lee had ease her concerns without scaring her, although she looked pretty scared already "I think something else did. Before me, I think".

"I heard her scream two nights ago. Maybe one of the monsters got her" the little girl replied 'shit, not something she should ever have to go through… Jesus poor kid'. Lee remembered the call from her parents, Ed's 'incident' he recalled was most likely him being attacked by one of those things 'damn it' he cursed mentally as it all made sense, Ed gets attacked then uh Sandra's both of which happened in two days or more but it wasn't anything conclusive, shit, he only just saw his first rotten body ten minutes ago in the woods "Two nights ago? Yeah, that's probably what happened".

Lee was concerned for the little girl; Clementine, her parents were missing as far as she believes and her babysitter turned cannibal and it looks like he might be the only living person she's seen in a few days. Lee bent down to his knee's and he had worry written in his eyes, tone and voice "You've been all by yourself through this?".

"Yeah I want my parents to come home now" Clementine was rocking her body from side to side, scared and missing her parents, 'poor kid'. Lee knew she believed her parents were still alive and maybe they were but chances of them being alive were slim. Lee had to keep hope alive for this little girl despite his beliefs he needed to protect her, starting by keeping her alive and finding her parents.

"I think that might be a little while, you know?" It hurt him to keep those messages he heard a secret but she was just a little girl and hearing they were dead would eliminate her trust in this man who only wants her safe, she has so many years ahead of her and would be damned before leaving her to fend for herself. Clementine knew what he meant, those creatures were probably in Savannah too "Oh" she responded with a slight look of sadness brewing on her face

Lee knew what he had to do, keep her safe from those things and he would do just that, no matter what. Lee inched closer to her, looking considerately at the saddened Clementine and spoke in a soft and honest tone "Look, I don't know what happened. But I'll look after you until then".

Clementine was somewhat reassured and glad that this man… Lee wasn't going to abandon her but she was deeply worried about her parents but she believed her parents were alive and looking for her but she also knew Lee was right about it being a while before they return "What should we do now?"

It was dangerous out there, but it would worse at night, there'd be more of those things at night he was guessing and it seemed likely plus it would be harder to see, they have to find other survivors "We need to find help before it gets dark" choosing the safety of daylight was a smart move.

Clementine agreed as the streets had lots of those monsters last night, making those creepy sounds and he had nightmares of her parents turning into those things and she didn't want to stay here any longer by herself "Yeah, it's not safe at night".

Lee climbed to his feet and stood beside Clementine and held his hand out for her, she was hesitant at first but the thought of holding his hand reminded her of when she and her daddy held hands wherever they went places, so she gladly accepted with a small smile "Let's go stay close to me" he said.

They made their way outside on the back porch, Lee eager to find survivors and possibly someone to help his injured leg, Clementine was not so ready and he understood why, if her parents did come back how would they find her? He decided not to dwell too much on the question but the time will come. Clementine stood there staring into her empty house one more time before she pulled the glass door shut behind her. She turned around and looked up at Lee, obvious that she did not want to leave; she didn't look happy, hard to believe she could be in these dark times but Lee made a promise to himself then and there, he would protect Clementine with his life and do whatever he can to make happy.

The sky hadn't changed much but it wouldn't be long before nightfall so they had to get a move on. Clementine ran ahead, down the steps and waited by the green recycling bin for Lee to catch up. Lee was still limping but with any luck they may not encounter anymore of those things as long as they remain quiet. Lee was careful going down the steps, he's hit the ground too many times all ready so he was making sure he didn't rush himself.

Lee smiled at Clementine as he past her she gave him a slight smile which he could tell was fake but she was obviously still getting used to him as her protector and guardian but he would be patient and he'd grow on her.

As Lee and Clementine got near the gate they noticed some people pushing a car. Lee wasn't sure whether they were actually people or more of those things but then he heard them muttering to each other.

They turned out to be a man and younger guy possibly in his 20's. One was a fairly big man, fat even, he was wearing a moss coloured vest over his greyish blue shirt, dark brown pants and he also wore a moss coloured had on his head. The large man had a beard around his mouth, not much only under his nose leading around his mouth and under his chin, the bottom half of his beard was light grey and the top half was dark grey. Strapped to his back was a rifle of some kind, Lee wasn't sure but it looked like a Remington 700 BDL, he's read a few things about guns when he lectured his students on World Wars.

The other guy was slim sized; he has black hair brushed back with pointy ends. He was wearing a moss coloured shirt with a few pockets on them and wearing brown jeans, but he was unarmed which was strange, but then so was he.

Lee and Clementine stood there watching as they were trying to move a medium blue car and the large fella looked at the younger kid and said "Come on Shawn just a little more" trying to support the struggling young man, groaning from being exhausted.

The young man named Shawn withdrew from pushing the car and looked at the large man who had removed his rifle from his back, possibly thinking one of those things were nearby. Shawn pointed out to the older, larger man about their situation "Those things are everywhere, Otis can't we just hotwire that car over there?" pointing to a brown station wagon parked by the alley between two houses.

The man known as Otis was thinking a few seconds before responding "Hmmm too close to the alley, and my guns down to six bullets, too risky". Besides Otis wasn't about to leave the truck behind as it did not belong to him and he was wise about conserving his ammo but Shawn was annoyed mainly because he was nervous about more of those creatures showing "Man, this sucks".

Otis responded calmly, trying to keep the boy optimistic and scared-free "Don't worry Shawn we'll be out of here in a few minutes" and Otis returned to pushing the car and Shawn shortly followed.

After eavesdropping on to the two people Lee figured that they might be able to help and he looked back at Clementine and noticed she was depressed, staring at the ground in front of her. Lee was concerned by this "What's the matter?" bending down to her level.

Clementine didn't look at him, still looking at the ground she asked "Should I stay?". Lee was puzzled by the question, not sure what she meant "What?". Clementine was afraid to ask Lee her question slightly fearful that he might leave her but it was something her since they decided on the plan to leave her house. "I don't wanna sleep in the tree house tonight, but I don't know if I should leave. What if my parents come home?".

Lee understood now what she meant, he knew Clementine would bring this up but she seemed afraid to talk to him about the issue, perhaps she think Lee would leave her which he wasn't planning on doing ever "I won't leave you alone".

The little girl was relieved to hear that as it was scary being by herself "Let's go somewhere safe that's close, OK?" she suggested. Lee thought it was best for now, but depending on how things decide to play out they may have to leave this town but he decided not to be concerned by that right now and replied "That's a good idea". Lee stood up and slowly walked toward the gate while Clementine was right behind him with small, happy that Lee understood what she wanted to do.

Lee was about to open the backyard gate to the streets, but Clementine was slightly ahead of him, she pushed the gate open making a squeaky metallic whistle that the two men didn't notice and Lee made sure to stay in front of Clementine just in case things went south "Hey!" he spoke aloud.

The two men immediately two around panicking like they've been shot at or something but the second they did, the large man known as Otis already had aimed on Lee, Clementine was behind Lee but slightly beside him as well. Otis had his rifle targeting his head, making sure they don't get near Shawn "You stay back!".

Lee stopped in his tracks as did Clementine who leaned against his leg, partially out of sight. The kid Shawn was it? was slightly trembling and it looked like he was bracing himself for a tackling or something, either way he was nervous just like Clementine was a few minutes ago when meeting him. Lee decided it was best he did as the man said, not wanting anything to happen to her from him being reckless and placed his hands up, surrendering himself "We're not going to hurt you" he spoke calmly to the two men.

The large man was sceptical at first but when he noticed the little girl behind the unknown feller, assuming that she was his daughter, which seems like a good thing because if he's her father, he wouldn't risk putting her in danger. Otis lowered his gun, but kept it rested against his stomach, the rifle was facing to the left "Oh lord, Good thing you're live ones, don't got many bullets left" Otis responded having sensed the goodness in the man or maybe it was his own good hearted nature.

Shawn sighed a breath of relief, standing up straight, no longer nervous once the guy said he wasn't going to hurt them, even though Otis could handle him but he knew he would never shoot a child whether or not they became one of those monsters or not. Shawn had a relieved smile on his face as he added to what Otis said "Yeah, I thought for a second you and the little one were BOTH going to give us the chomp".

Lee looked desperately at these two men, hoping maybe they could provide him and Clementine with some assistance "We need help"

Otis opened his mouth ready to say something but Shawn cut him off "Are you trying to get outta here? Because you should be. Those things are all over the damn place". As if their minds were all connected, they each looked of in different directions but no one saw anything, it was like a ghost town inhabited by monsters. Lee was looking at a house further down the street from their location and he thought he saw something by a white picket fence but when he blinked his eyes and looked again there wasn't anything there, Lee's paranoia was starting to get to him or maybe it was the guilt, guilt from what he did to the State Senator, catching up to him.

Otis looked at the man and started talking about how bad things were getting not just here but in Atlanta "This here neighbourhood… is overrun, we haven't seen anything this bad since downtown Atlanta, fifteen miles back". Lee thought to himself 'Good thing I was on my way prison after all' he knew what he did was wrong but he couldn't help but notice the convenient timing of the arrival of these monsters and wondered maybe this was his second chance at redemption.

Otis took off his hat placing it over his chest and holding his gun in one hand pointing up to the sky and spoke politely "My names Otis" and then the other but younger man introduced himself "I'm Shawn, Shawn Greene".

Lee was glad to meet new people and Clementine was too, albeit very nervous around them but at least they weren't like those monsters that have been trying to get her.

Lee made his introduction quick and then he introduced Clementine as he could identify that she was very shy around new people. "Lee. This is Clementine" she didn't say anything but she received a very bright smile from Otis and hand wave from Shawn, she was leaning up to Lee's leg and smiled back at the two people, a cute smile that melt a man's heart. Otis understood why the little girl was shy as Shawn was the same way when he first met the boy but now Otis was like a second father to him

Otis assumed that these two have come across those monsters before, more up close and personal than they had hoped as he had the blood covering Lee's jacket and pants, but it was the huge blood stained area around his knee that spooked him but he politely stated "Your leg don't look too good fella".

Lee looked down at his leg, still feeling his aching knee throb something awful "You weren't bit were you?" Shawn questioned and slightly backed away against the car they meant to be moving.

He thought that was very strange question, was that how the Police Officer turned?, maybe, he was alive before and after the crash, those things must have got him while he was unconscious. "No Car accident". Shawn took a breath of fresh air, relieved to hear that, as was Otis who nodded his head understanding.

Shawn would have asked more questions but it was getting dark "We shouldn't be out here in the open like this".

Otis turned his head facing Shawn nodded his head in agreement as they were highly exposed and said to Shawn "Yeah you're right Shawn", Otis then looked at the African American man and the little girl by his side, Lee was hoping they bring them along when Otis added "There's a farm belonging to this boy's father we can take you and your daughter with us, it's safer there than it is here".

Lee wasn't sure how to say this but he had to "I'm not her dad; I'm…" he was frantically trying to decide whether he should be honest about stumbling across Clementine or lie and say something like he was her babysitter or a neighbour. Lee got a warm sensation flowing through his body when thinking of himself as her babysitter and caretaker but he didn't want to lie if someone decides to put Clementine on the spot, but he wasn't sure how they'd react to it, would they still help or leave them. Lee knew it was right thing to be honest and hopefully they'll help Clementine and him "just some guy"

Shawn responded with a rather sceptical expression as he repeated the man's words "Some guy?". Lee was concerned by the look he received, he couldn't read the boy's face but he couldn't change the story now. "Yeah" he spoke with a hint of nervousness in his tone. Otis was most concerned, about the little girl, his mouth slightly opened, not because of the fact that Lee had just found her but Otis noticed how he made it sound like he found her by herself "Where are her parents?".

Lee lowered his head very slightly trying to remember the message that seemed to prove they were most likely dead but he had to remain hopeful for Clementine; Otis seemed to get the message but then Clementine's voice come out of the blue "Sa…Savannah". Lee didn't expect Clementine to say anything in front of these two strangers but they were parents Otis was asking about.

Shawn had a small smile on his mouth as he glanced down at the shy little girl who was probably worried sick about her parents and spoke in a soft tone "I heard it's not too bad up there". Clementine smiled at those words but didn't make direct eye contact with Shawn but she felt slightly better knowing that her parents were most likely safe "Hope so". Lee was staring at Shawn while he was speaking and when looking at his eyes he saw uncertainty, like he didn't really know but Clementine was smiling which was good to see, and he appreciated Shawn Greene's words.

Shawn then turned to his head to Otis who was looking down the street making sure no stragglers were sneaking up on them "We should get going, staying put for too long is a mistake", Shawn was looking at Lee when he finished talking.

Otis nodded in agreement before looking to Lee and lifted his arm, using his thumb to point out the wreck that was right behind them "We need to clear the way for the truck, then the Hershel can fix that there leg of yours". Lee wanted to reply in agreements to the plan, wanting to do what was best for Clementine but he thought it was best to ask what she wants "What do you want to do, Clementine?". Clem nodded her head left to right, unsure what she wanted to do, go with Lee to somewhere safe? Or stay in the house until her parents come home but she was nervous "I…" looking back at her house and the address number 5240.

Suddenly Shawn's voice caught Lee and Clementine's attention, well that and the groaning gurgling sounds coming from those things in the streets "Oh no the monsters are back, we gotta hurry". The creatures had already spotted them, there were probably a dozen or more of them and Otis was looking back and forth between them and Shawn, Lee and the girl, he held his rifle out aiming to the streets and ordered "Move the car I'll keep em off our backs!".

Shawn was already up against the car ready to push and looked over his shoulder "Lee! give me a hand". Lee immediately did just that and started pushing the car with full force ignoring the pain emanating from his leg and the echo of Otis shooting them things.

Otis was standing beside the red truck, with his Remington Rifle in both hands. Otis was making sure each shot hits its mark, through the scope he targeted the monsters that were closest, aiming directly for the head before pulling the trigger. Otis was starting to panic, hoping Shawn would say any second that they were ready to leave, but looking back they were still getting it out of the way.

Clementine was getting scared, jumping at the sound of every rifle shot echoing through the streets and she decided she didn't want to stand by anymore so she ran to help Lee and Shawn move the car, she couldn't contribute too much as she wasn't very strong but Lee was glad to have her close to him, safe and helping anyway she can.

Otis was down to his last bullet and aimed it at a female creature in a green dress stained by blood that was dangerously close, so he targeted the head and fired watching as the body fall to the ground and heard the click of his rifle as he took aim at another one but he was out "I'm out of rounds; we gotta leave now". As if on cue, Lee, Shawn and Clementine were done and Otis shouted "Shawn! You drive" as he tossed his empty Remington into the back of the truck, Otis pretty much threw himself into the back of the truck, staring at the small but horrifying group of monsters reaching for him as he backed away from the edges of truck.

Shawn shouted "Sure, let's go!" Lee limped his way to the truck opening the door for Clementine to hop in, Shawn was already in rotating the key to start the engine, once Clementine took her seat in the middle next to Shawn, Lee was about to get in but one of the things was coming straight for him. Lee growled at the approaching creature before delivering a powerful kick that sent it tumbling backwards to the ground.

Lee jumped into the truck, sitting next to Clementine and pulled the door shut and then Shawn punched his foot into the accelerator, the wheels screeching as they took off. Shawn was trying to avoid driving into any of those things not wanting to damage the truck. Shawn looked back to see Otis was doing OK, even though it was probably cold in the back, Otis wouldn't complain about it, then Shawn looked at Lee while keeping one eye on the road and commented "For just 'Some Guy' it seems like you just saved a bunch of lives today". Shawn rammed through a roadblock sign and took a right turn, out of town, heading home.

Lee didn't want any praise he was just doing what was right but he appreciated those words of Shawn and the help he was giving them. Clementine was sitting on her knee's staring through the trucks back window, where Otis wasn't leaning against. The little girl was staring at her house, where she has lived her entire life and now it was getting further and further away, she lowered her head, depressed and for some reason she felt she was never going to see her home again. Lee knew exactly what she was sad about as she turned around to face the road and Lee couldn't help but concern himself, she's lived their her whole, everything and everyone she loved lived in that house. Lee lifted his arm and slowly put it over around her until his hand gently rested on her shoulder. Clementine looked at Lee with sadness dwelling in her eyes and he looked back with a look that said it'll be alright. Lee then gently pulled her close to him until her head rested on his side and he rubbed her shoulder reassuringly as she drifted off into deep thought. Shawn had seen it all unfold beside him and he was feeling somewhat saddened by the pain the little girl was going through and the things she's probably see, enough to scar her for life, but with Lee, maybe she still a chance… to be safe.

It was now nightfall, dark, and the air was getting colder, Otis had his arms crossed in the back of the truck trying to keep his uncovered arms warm. Lee still had Clementine rested against her, awake, but she was tired and exhausted from everything that's happened today; Man in the woods, Babysitter tries to him, Meets two more people, leave home and now they were going to Shawn's farm. Suddenly Shawn made a right turn down dirt road through a corn field and just ahead they could see a white farm house on a very wide spread of land and driving down the long road made it all seem like a settlement, a safe haven. Shawn drove the truck right beside the house on an angle that was pointing toward a rickety old barn house, very creepy looking barn house.

Otis was the first to climb out of the back, patting the truck as Shawn climbed out of the truck, following Lee and then Clementine who Lee helped get out by offering his hand. Clementine accepted his hand with a smile and Otis looked on smiling as well before he grabbed his rifle and place the strap over his head and nested the rifle on his back.

The large man then looked at Shawn and declared "I best be on my way, Patricia's probably worrying more than she needs to, say hello to your dad for me, I'll drop by tomorrow, we'll need to work on securing this place". Shawn nodded his head acknowledging his statement and plans for tomorrow.

Otis had started walking down the dirt road when shouted "Hey!". Immediately catching Otis's attention as Lee limped his way toward him and said "Thanks for helping us out back there Man". Otis stared at Lee for a few solid seconds before reaching for his hand and cuffed it with both of his hands. Lee was startled by this action, unsure of what the larger man was doing until he said something both sincere and serious "Keep that girl safe, you're a good man, I can see it". Lee nodded in acknowledgement as that is all he has concerned himself with doing since he met Clementine. Otis smiled at Lee before turning around to head home to his wife.

Lee returned to Clementine, looking at her and gave her a reassuring smile that said it'll be all right, she wasn't sure about that but she followed him as the front door of the house came open. It was an older man, dark brown pants and dark green coloured jacket with a strange yellow symbol above a pocket, bushy white eyebrows and white silk like hair, he did like a doctor Lee took quick notice of as he came down the steps. "Thank God, you're OK" the older man known Lee was the Hershel that Otis mentioned walked over to Shawn with a relieved smile and Shawn was the same, making his way to his father and embracing him in a tight hug "I was worried it'd be bad here, too".

Hershel was somewhat taken back by the hug mainly because he didn't know how bad things have gotten in the town but he returned the hug as he explained "It's been rather quiet out here; Nervous Nelly's acting up a bit but nothing I can't handle". They separated from the hug and Shawn smiled but he was also annoyed that his father wasn't taking much of it seriously. "I wouldn't have made it back without Otis being there" Shawn mentioned hoping to get his father to realise that they had some close calls. "Good thing you asked him to go with you then, where is he?" his father asked looking somewhat concerned as he considered Otis as his best friend and neighbour.

Shawn's eyes popped, forgetting to inform his father where he was or rather where he was heading "Oh he walked home". Hershel understood nodding his head up and down before responding "Good, Patricia called she was worried sick about him". Lee was thinking to himself 'he's a good man who wouldn't?'.

Hershel hadn't noticed the man and girl standing there on the sidelines and turned to face them placing hands on his hips and speaking aloud "You brought some guest" acknowledging the situation.

Lee was happy to see a father and son reunited but he wasn't sure whether that statement sounded like a good thing or a bad thing but regardless he thought it was best to point out how helpful Shawn was to him and Clementine who was listening to everything that was said. "Your boy is a lifesaver" Lee gestured his hand at Shawn when he spoke which in terms made Shawn scratch the back of his neck nervously "Glad to hear that he was helpful to you" the older man responded, pleased by his son's actions to help people.

Hershel wasn't sure whether the little girl was this characters daughter, mainly due to um… colour but wondering also whether there were others coming here "So it's just you and your daughter?".

Lee wasn't sure how to respond as he looked at Clementine beside him who was just as confused as he was, granted that she was more nervous than Lee because of this new older man. Luckily Shawn broke the ice by explaining Lee's tale of how met Clementine, the short and cut version at least, Shawn had almost forgotten to mention "Oh, not his daughter, he's… well… just some guy who found her alone".

The older man's mouth dropped halfway looking at the girl then back at his son looking very confused and concerned "Alone? Was no one with her?" Hershel asked looking at Lee who scratched the corner of his nose wondering how to respond without upsetting Clementine. However the little girl was the most unexpected one to break the short silence, although she was very quiet and nervous when she spoke "S-Sandra was". Hershel and Shawn weren't sure what she said and what she meant as she did not explain things too well especially when faced with a group people but Lee decided to add more context "Her babysitter she umm…".

Nothing had to be said both Hershel and Shawn understood, perhaps Shawn more so but Hershel knew what he had happened and decided to change the topic to something less depressing and concern himself with Lee's injury "I see… well looks like you hurt your leg pretty bad, if you want I can have a look at it and see what I can do". Lee was glad to hear that his leg would be healed after all these hours since the incident with the Police Officer and the car accident "Yes please, it's not doing so good".

"OK I'll have a look at it, Shawn run on in and check on Maggie and Beth, but quietly, your mother's asleep" His father warned Shawn out of respect for his family, guest and his son-in-law and he simply nodded and he turned to head up the steps and opening the door before Hershel looked at Lee and suggested "Take a seat on the porch and I'll get my things".

Lee did just that, limping up the steps and headed for the wooden bench where he sat down waiting for the Hershel to return. Lee was been carefully watched by a concerned Clementine, he decided to try and talk to her as she hasn't done so since back at her house "Are you doing OK Clem?" he don't know why he called her Clem but is sounded like a cute little nickname for her. Clementine hadn't expected a question but she answered with a nervous hitch in her voice "Yeah it's just…" Lee could relate to her in some way as he doesn't know what has become of his parents either "I miss my parents too". Clementine looked at Lee, worried about him because she didn't know he would be worried about his parents let alone knew he had any and she said to Lee "I hope their safe" trying to cheer him up. Clementine's concern for his parents was touching and he smiled and responded "I'm sure they are and I'm sure your parents are too". Clementine looked quite happy to hear that Lee had hope for her parents as well as his own.

Hershel suddenly returned after hearing them finishing a talk, he stood there for a second, looking at Clementine who shrunk down to a nervous pulp and he looked at Lee and walked toward him with a roll of bandage in hand "Let's have a look". Hershel made a quick observation at his blood stained knee and having a feel of it before drawing a conclusion "Yep this is swollen pretty darn bad". Lee could feel the aching pain as the older man touched it before touching a painful section letting out an aching moan "It hurts like hell". Hershel quickly responded to his statement by laying down his first rule for his newest guest "Hey no cursing please, but yeah I bet it does".

While examining the man's knee some more, Hershel thought it was a good a time as any to learn more about his patient "Shawn didn't say your name". Lee realised it was rude of him not to have mentioned it already but given his identity as a convicted killer he thought it was best to drop his last name for a while "It's Lee" smiling down at his healer "Nice to meet you Lee, I'm Hershel Greene" returning with a friendly smile as well.

The injury was pretty bad Hershel had noticed and wondered what could have caused this swollen leg of his so he decided to question Lee some more "How'd this happen anyway?". Lee had already told Shawn and Otis about it being a result of a car accident, which it was but if he switched the story now he might get himself cornered later. When it comes to the who, what, when, where and why, he thought it was best no one knew of his past especially not Clementine, he needed her to stay close to him and protect her "Car accident". Hershel wasn't completely convinced and Lee could tell by how he responded "Is that so?" it sounded like 'I'm watching you' situation but he dismissed as being concern over nothing.

Hershel was always wary of guest especially ones who sounded like they had something to hide "Where were you headed? before this car accident?". Lee was annoyed by a constant stream of questions but Hershel seemed like a good man, but he had to lie his ass off so no one knows that he is a convicted criminal "I was getting out of Atlanta". Hershel just didn't believe this 'thing' was as big as people like Lee, Otis and his step-son Shawn are making it out to be. The news made it sound like everything was under control "The news says to stay home and keep doors locked while they sort things out"

Lee remembered riding in the back of Police Car and seeing all those cars, vans and helicopters heading for Atlanta and that was enough information to prove just how serious this shit really is "Yeah, well that's a mistake. We hit a guy, one of those things, you've been hearing about, on the road". Hershel wasn't convinced in fact he ignored his statement the second he said 'we' who was he with? "We? I thought it was just you, who else were you with? the girl?".

'Shit' Lee thought as he immediately realised a mistake in his false explanation but he remained calm and decided to tell it how it was without the fine details, plus he remembered Clementine saw him near a Police car so maybe she'll believe him too 'God' he was feeling like shit for lying so much "I was with a Police Officer. He was giving me a ride". Hershel found himself believing that statement as true because who would randomly bring a cop into the story without some kind of significance and replied with a delighted smile "Awful nice of him" and Lee summoned a small chuckle as he replied "I'm an awful nice guy".

"My house is full, we have a family of three in the barn, you and the girl are welcome to sleep in the barn as well, once I'm done with your leg" Hershel turned his head to look over his shoulder at the shy little girl and said in a gentle manner "I didn't catch your name, sweetheart".

The girl wasn't fond of being put on the spot like this, especially with strangers "Clem-Clementine" she nervously stuttered and Hershel looked at the child with a sympathetic look in his eyes as he replied softly "Can't imagine what you've been through, Clementine". Lee knew full well that no one could, but he knew based on little bits of information he gathered from those answering machine messages and walking dead babysitter in her home. Lee pointed out his intentions as her new caretaker "I'm looking after her until we find her parents"

Hershel was about to respond when he heard that front door open and close and knowing it was Shawn having something to say about what's been happening of late and what he thinks they should be doing to prepare for an invasion or something out of proportion. "Hey dad, so I'm thinking. First thing tomorrow, we gotta reinforce the fence around the farm" Shawn seemed hesitant in his words like he was expecting to be yelled at but instead his Father responded in a rather dull and plain manner "I don't think that's necessary".

Shawn knew just how lightly he was taking what was happening and hearing his dad show little concern was making more annoyed and more concerned for his family and decided to dig deeper until he got his approval "I don't know what you saw on TV, or heard on the radio but there's some serious…" Shawn looked back at Clementine, not wanting to curse in front of her but maybe it would highlight how serious he was but he whispered the first word "shit hitting the fan".

The father was none too pleased with his choice of words especially since Clementine heard him too but she decided to be quiet, but Hershel wasn't going to let it just slip "Watch your mouth Shawn",

Lee wasn't too pleased with his choice of words either, even though he got told of for swearing as well, but he understood why Shawn was pushing so hard "Sorry but I don't think anyone knows how big it is yet, including you".

Lee had to help Shawn convince this man how dangerous those things were, as he barely escaped from two of them and he couldn't let Hershel make a mistake that could potentially get his family killed if he refused to take proper precautions "Your son's right. You're going to want to fortify this place".

Hershel grew tired of the over reactions mostly from Shawn and Lee was only adding more gas to the fire he thought "We don't have much to worry about out here Shawn. It's safe". Lee was irritated by the fact that though he believed it was nothing to fear he seemed so sympathetic of Clementine being left alone, figuring that Hershel knew there was something happening but he didn't believe it could be happening, not sure whether Lee believed it himself.

"Dad I'm serious. Otis says we should too…Lee come on, tell him what you saw out there man" at this point Shawn was basically begging for Lee's support in this and Lee respected his reasons as to why and remembered what happened after having to shoot that decent but turned Police Officer and replied "I got chased by a couple of dead people".

"Well do what you have to, but we've got plenty of chores as it is" Hershel still didn't get the message but he didn't say 'no' at least that was something and Shawn was relieved to hear that he will allow him, Lee and the others to fortify the place. Shawn knew he could count on Lee, Otis and the other survivors to help and added "Lee and those folks in the barn can help out in the morning a-and Otis too. We gotta do it, really" Shawn had made his point but his Dad was not convinced which frustrates the hell out of him and his father responded "I said OK let's leave it until tomorrow" hoping to end the conversation.

After what seemed like the longest medical examination for a busted leg ever, Hershel wrapped a long thin white bandage around his leg causing Lee to moan as the older man made contact with the wound, he tucked the end of the bandage underneath the rest of the bandage already sealing his injury "Well that should do it, it'll feel better by tomorrow".

Lee was grateful for Hershel's help "Thanks" he replied at the older man who seemed happy enough as well, he brushed his hands and placed them both on his hips and added "If your leg gets worse, you're probably dealing with an infection". Lee didn't think that sounded too bad and Clementine looked happy, knowing he'd be OK but Lee was curious as to what would happen if it got worse "What do we do then?".

Hershel aimed his hand at Lee like a gun and replied with a serious look "We'll probably have to shoot you". Lee's eyes were widened in disbelief and Clementine looked just as shocked, she stepped back, mouth open and eyes widened to no end and Lee was thinking 'Crazy old man'. However Hershel grinned from ear to ear and explained "I'm just joshing, we'll clean it, re-dress the wound and you'll live". Clementine looked peeved at that, thinking he was actually going to shoot Lee, she nodded sideways, clearly not impressed by the old man's sense of humour.

Lee quickly realised it was a joke and was quite the relief, believing for a second that Hershel was actually crazy but Lee responded with a smile "OK that'd be preferable" and a look of gratitude for not actually meaning that he would shoot him.

Hershel explained "There are blankets in the barn; we'll see you bright and early in the morning". After everything that has happened today it would be a miracle if he or even Clementine got any sleep, Lee was wondering in his head 'I wonder how bad things really are, everywhere else I mean?'. It was a strange question but compared to everything else that's happened, the question was the strangest "Tomorrow where are you headed?" the Hershel ask, cutting Lee off his train of thought but honestly he hadn't thought about it much but he would like to find his parents "Towards Macon, I suppose".

Hershel simply nodded his head understanding the plan, but he wanted Lee to keep this girl safe, that's all he wants apart from the safety of his family of course, and without another word he headed back into the house.

Lee thought that was odd and to a degree rude "All right then". Lee spoke aloud looking at Clementine whose eyes could barely stay open so they both decided to hit the haystack almost literally. When they got into the barn they were greeted by to blue sleeping mattresses and a blanket on both, the kinds used for camping, and a grown man's light snoring on the second level of the barn 'Probably safer up there' Lee was thinking. It wasn't a cold night by any means so Lee and Clementine both lied down on the mattresses without worrying about the blankets, it was just nice to rest their heads on actual pillows but Lee thought the place smells like horse shirt, understandable.

Clementine could smell it too as she rested her head against the pillow "It smells like…" Lee quickly responded "I know what it smells like" and Clementine said what it smelt like in the cutest way a child could say it "Doo-dee". Lee thought the way she said it was cute. Lee and Clementine were both lying on their sides staring at one another; it was quiet, well apart from the wind and the stranger above them snoring.

Clementine whispered to Lee "I miss my Mom and Dad", Lee wanted to do something to make her feel better but what could he do? I felt like shit for all the lies he's told already but he replied "I bet, Clem". "How far is Savannah?" the little girl ask hoping it wasn't far as she has only ever been there once but Lee has been there a couple of times, rather passing Savannah but it was "Pretty far".

Clementine looked disappointed "Oh OK" closing her eyes, quickly drifting off into a deep sleep. Lee was thinking through what he should do 'find the girls parents' or 'stay here at Hershel's farm if he allows it that is'. Lee didn't think about it for too long as he was extremely tired, falling into an unconscious state in the back of a wrecked Police car was not considered sleep, more like the beginning of a horror novel.

Lee drifted off to sleep, thinking of his family, Clementine, the people he's met, the car crash, the courtroom, the dead body of the State Senator, Lee's wife in bed, the word's she said the night before he found her cheating on him "I love you so much, baby". The echo of her laughter followed by the smashing of glass, screaming and the moaning gagging noises of those things and then images of them biting into his face. Lee woke up in shock, breathing heavily as he looked down at Clementine, fast asleep and safe, no walking dead anywhere, 'good' before resting his head back onto the pillow, drifting back to sleep, ending the first day in living hell.

"Hey, get up" a voice called out to Lee, who opened his eyes, vision slightly blurry, as he rose from his slumber with a yawn to see a man with a black hillbilly styled moustache, black shaggy hair dragging to his neck staring down at him. The man was wearing a trucker hat, brown and white; he was wearing some kind of brown and white handmade necklace. He was wearing a White shirt with the outline of a fish and Blue jeans. Lee returned to reality remembering Hershel saying there were other guest, he must be one of them and probably the one who was snoring. The overall appearance of the man was the very image of a hillbilly or redneck but he didn't look dangerous or hostile so Lee simply sat up and looked to his left to see Clementine already standing up shaking herself a bit "I'm itchy" somewhat annoyed as she softly replied.

The man that woke Lee and Clementine up had a devious look in his eyes as he watched the little girl turn to his direction. Lee lifted himself up, no pain in his leg or not much at least. The stranger had a bit of a smirk on his face, Lee noticed and the man responded to Clementine's statement "Well, you slept in a barn, little lady. Lucky you don't have spiders in your hair" pointing to her hair. Clementine gasped in horror at the very thought, looking up to her hair but the man quickly added a reassuring statement that was humorously aimed at Lee "But I bet your daddy scared em all away huh?".

Lee was wondering why everyone suspected Clementine was his daughter, they weren't even the same colour, but Lee thought that if he did have a daughter someday, he hopes for her to be like Clementine; smart, strong, cute and kind hearted. Lee was staring down at her humorously before looking to the new person to explain the situation "I'm uh not her dad. Name's Lee"

"I'm Kenny" the man known as Kenny looked like a fairly decent man, he was humorous for one thing, polite, well apart from the wakeup call, but a quick glimpse of his watch read '9:12', compared to Lee's usual wake up schedule of 7:10 every morning, he considered it a sleep in. Suddenly an excitable boy, short black hair, freckles on his cheeks, wearing a red, grey and white flannel jacket over his white undershirt and also wore blue pants came running to the barn, leaning against the side of the barn wall near the door, shouting happily "Dad! We're gonna build a fence! There's a tractor and everything!".

The boy was hyper active Lee thought but he looked like a good kid, an excitable one at that, keen to reinforce the fence is probably what he meant as Shawn was talking about working on it today, in preventing those things from invading the farm. The boy was there by the barn door then suddenly gone again, Clementine noticed that too, smiling as Kenny turned to face Lee and remarked "We better get going or we won't hear the end of it".

As the left the barn the first thing Lee and Clementine noticed was just how beautiful this place is, a sight to behold, they could see the fields from here, beautiful, untouched and untainted by those dead people. Clementine was holding onto Lee's hand, she did it with her parents and her babysitter sometimes but now Lee was taking care of her, Lee didn't mind in the least, it kept him reassured that she was safe and close to him. Lee's thoughts of Clementine, was interrupted by Kenny as they slow walked to the house "That's my boy Ken Junior. We call him Duck though".

Lee was baffled by the fact that who would call their kid Duck? Lee wanted to ask that but it sounded rude, plus it's not a bad name, it was more of a question of trait, was he like a duck or was that a nickname for Ken Junior if so how'd the name Duck translate from anything. "Duck?" Lee questioned curiously but Kenny wasn't surprised, he's heard that question plenty of times, even Shawn, but Hershel just went with it. Kenny answered as if he was somewhat embarrassed by why they call him Duck "Yeah, nothing bothers him. Like water off a duck's back, y'know?".

Lee thought that was a very logical reason and a valuable trait to have during these dark times "That's a valuable trait lately" he replied, understandingly and Clementine was kind of the same, not hyper, and some things bother her like being alone, but that's every child's worst fear, but Clementine was a sweet little girl who he needs to protect from the dangers that lurk around dark corners.

Kenny agreed "No kidding. But frankly, I think it's because he's dumb as a bag of hammers", maybe that wasn't the nicest way to describe his son, Lee thought but he figured Kenny was just joking however Clementine didn't seem to think so as she looked up at Lee, with a slight unimpressed expression but one look from Lee told her not to worry about it.

"DAD!" the little boy known as Duck shouted to his father to hurry, like most kids his age do, Clementine thought for a second that the boy heard his father call him dumb and Lee did for a second too, Kenny then added "But he makes up for it with enthusiasm", appreciating his son's bouncy nature he always had with a smile on his bright face and Lee thought the same about Duck, he was enthusiastic about building this fence.

At the front of the Hershel's house, by the porch was some bales of hay that could be seated on as Lee saw a lady with blonde hair that wasn't very long, she was wearing a yellow dress with pink flowers on them and long brown pants sitting on a bale of hay fixing up Duck's flannel jacket. Lee suspected this was Kenny's wife as they got close enough Kenny stopped next to her, smiling at one another and he turned around, facing Lee and he remarked "The word is you were on your way to Macon?".

Lee smiled at the man and happily replied "My family is from there", 'I hope they still are at least' Lee was worrying at the back of his mind but he dismissed his concerns for now as he was quickly taking a liking to Kenny, knowing for sure he was a good man and a good father and as far as he could see a good husband. Kenny seemed interested in this piece of information as he thought for a second and suggested "Well Macon's on the way and, personally I'd appreciate the company of a guy who can knock a couple of heads together, if he has to".

Lee appreciated this man's concern but he wasn't sure whether he should as he had promised Clementine that they would stay close to her home and Macon was at least a four hour drive and breaking his promise to Clementine would be the worst thing he could possibly do, but he needed her to stay close and needed to know what has become of his parents "I'll see what the girl would like" he responded hoping to explain it to Clementine first. Kenny seized the opportunity to mess with the man "Ah, gotta consult the missus. I understand" Lee smiled, knowing what he meant.

Next thing Kenny turns to his wife and explained to her "Honey, Duck this is Lee and uh. What's the girls name?", Lee hadn't had a chance to mention her name as Kenny was too busy teasing her with spider talk but Lee was happy enough to respond for her as she was being quiet, she's probably a bit shy again like with him, Shawn and Otis "Clementine" and Kenny acknowledged and repeated to his wife "Clementine".

Kenny's wife was rather happy to see another child especially a little girl as cute as she was, and it was nice to see any child these days, and ones that weren't as hyper as Duck or one of those things "That is a very pretty name" the kind lady replied to Clementine who was standing close to Lee in a shy manner but she appreciated the compliment. "Thanks" she softly replied and she found herself liking the lady already, her kindness and how she spoke to her reminded Clementine of her mother.

Just then another source of voice joined in and everyone looked to see it was Hershel's bright minded son, the boy who convinced his father to allow Kenny, his wife and Duck to stay, the boy who offered Lee and Clementine a safe place to stay when they had nowhere to go "Well, we should get to work. We've all what those things can do out there, so the faster we can get this fence up, the better". Kenny and Lee both nodded their heads in agreement, both eager to keep this place safe for everyone, most of all the kids needed to be safe.

Kenny, Lee and Shawn weren't the only eager people in the group as Duck was bursting with enthusiasm in building a fence but perhaps he doesn't realise just how much hard work it would require. Kenny knew his son would think it's all fun and games "I wanna build a fence" he happily cried turning to his Mom and Dad who weren't exactly keen on seeing Duck holding a hammer or any tools for that matter.

Shawn could read his parents faces and decided to give the boy a more suitable position "Yeah? Well I need a good foreman. You can sit on the tractor and yell at me whenever I take a water break" chuckling at the end of that sentence. Duck seemed even happier "On the tractor? Cool" the little boy remarked with bright enthusiastic smile, grinning from ear to ear and Shawn looked to the boy's mother and said "Duck and I will hop to it", Shawn stood there for a second to get his mother's approval but she seemed more than happy for something to keep their son's mind off of what they've seen in the past couple of days.

Shawn made his way to the other side of the house with Duck following close behind with his arms spread out like a plane making the engine noises and laughing excitably. Kenny's wife looked at Lee and saw he wanted to help Shawn secure this place, heck Kenny did too once he makes some repairs on his blue pickup truck "I can keep an eye on your little girl here on the porch. We can visit". Lee wasn't sure by what she meant by those last three words but he appreciated her support in looking after Clementine while he attends to protecting this farm.

Lee decided it was best if he got to know these new people, but he couldn't get over just how amazing this place looks, growing up in Macon was as amazing as this, in reference to the sights that is. Lee looked over at Clementine and Kenny's wife engaging in conversation and heard the older lady mention to Clementine "You have such pretty hair" and Clementine replied "It gets lots of tangles", both Lee and Kenny's wife were probably thinking 'I bet'.

Kenny had made his way to his Blue pickup truck, making some sort of repairs, Lee thought he should check up on him and offer a hand as he liked Kenny and he looked he was a bit lost as to what exactly he was doing. Lee walked over to Kenny, no pain in his knee 'That's good' Lee thought to himself. Once he got to Kenny who was fiddling with the engine of the truck, as he observed for a minute before saying anything "Hey there, uh Kenny".

Lee felt like helping him out a bit "Need any help?", Kenny kept focusing on the task at hand before forgets where he was at but responded "Naw, I think I got it". Lee was about to go and check in with Shawn who might need help reinforcing those fences or handling Duck but then Kenny asked "Do YOU need any help?". Lee wasn't really sure what he meant by that "What do you mean?" asking out of curiosity and Kenny politely answered with some concern evident in his tone "I mean, in taking care of that little girl. You know what you're doing? You got kids of your own?".

Lee hadn't had that much experience with younger kids like Duck or Clementine but he believed he was capable but Kenny was asking if he's got any kids, he wished he did but his wife was never really fond of the topic "Nah, nah. No, no kids". Kenny could read that look in Lee's eyes that pretty much sold it for him "Woulda liked one then". Lee always wanted kids but since they married, they have only drifted apart since they both had separate jobs but yeah he would love to have a kid someday, someone like Clementine, a sweet little girl maybe "You know" Kenny shook his head, understanding what he meant.

Speaking of kids he was wondering how much has Duck seen, if its anything like what Clementine has been through then 'hell' he didn't want to know what it's done to the boy but Kenny was concerned for Clementine so he felt he had the right to be worried for Kenny's son too "How's your son doing?". Kenny looked nervous at first, like he was holding something back, something bad maybe "Good I think. Katjaa's got a sister up in Memphis; We were coming back from visiting her".

Lee thinks he knows where this was going but he listened intensively to Kenny's story, concerned by what happened and what they've seen. "We were in a gas station and some guy grabbed my boy. I thought he was kidnapping him. I was on the fucker in about two seconds and…"

Lee's eyes widened as he realised the kidnapper was actually a dead man trying to chew on his boy, Kenny had paused for a second to get his mind straight "Christ. Just lucky I was there. We saw a lot of bodies before we stumbled upon Hershel's, but we're a tough family, Lee. Ain't nothing gonna faze us". Lee believed the man too, he was the same, but he was chased by dead bodies and it's hard to believe a reasonable way to dealing with such trauma, hell he almost got chomped more times than not.

Lee has his own plan set of plans for what happens next. Find his parents alive hopefully, keep Clementine safe and maybe even find her parents, with any luck they might be still alive or at least Clementine's Mom, remembering 'Ed' getting attacked by 'some crazy guy' through the answering message. However he decided to question Kenny on what they would do "So what's your family's plan?". At this point Kenny was tweaking with the radiator using a screwdriver from his tool box in the back of the pickup truck and explained as he worked "Get back on down to Lauderdale and let this mess get sorted out. Government will start handing out shots and the National Guard will do its thing. On the odd chance things got too bad, we could hop on my boat. I guess".

Lee was curious by that last statement, why would he have a boat? did it have something to do with logo's on his shirt "You've got a boat?" Lee asked somewhat sceptical, Kenny could tell where he was getting at and replied "I'm a Commercial Fisherman, catching mackerel, dolphin. Whatever's biting and paying. Katjaa wouldn't be wild about it but the boat's not that bad".

Lee was glad to learn more about this man as he seemed like someone he'd like having around but time will tell, right? But Lee still had to go and help Shawn with that fence so he decided to bid Kenny farewell for now "See ya".

Lee was looking over at the chicken pen, no chickens? Or were they inside the pen? Or were they moved? Lee didn't know but it helped to keep his mind occupied knowing that the world was going to hell. Lee was about to head off to the other side of the farm but Lee found himself looking over at Katjaa and the little girl he's protecting and thought 'I should check up on Clementine'.

Lee walked over to Clementine and Katjaa; Kenny's wife who doesn't like the boat he remembered. "Hey there, girls" Lee replied, they just smiled at him. The two were quietly seated on the bales of hay enjoying the peace and quiet and occasioning getting into a conversation, most like about Clementine from Katjaa's question. Lee smiled at the two and pointed out to them "You two, actually looked relaxed".

Katjaa could tell that Lee was simply concerned for Clementine because as of right now he might be the only person left that is willing to protect her but if it should come to it and something happens to Lee, maybe she and Kenny could take care of her but she dismissed those thoughts for now and replied "I think we're doing just fine. Clementine was just telling me about first grade". Lee realised he hasn't had much time to get to know Clementine so he decided to seek out any useful bit of information he could, so he could get to know her better "Oh, uh. How is that?" he asked. Clementine looked at Lee with a bright smile, eyes happy to see him and remarked "It's easy" and Lee chuckled on the inside thinking to himself 'cute' the way she looked at him and how she said it was adorable but the obviousness of the topic got him "Well Yeah" first grade is always easy he believed.

Lee didn't know how to keep the conversation going because he was still getting used to caring for Clem and learning the ropes as he went "So, you're good?". Katjaa could tell he was having trouble talking to her, almost as much as she does with Duck some days when he got way too hyperactive so she stepped in and changed it back to the original topic of relaxation "Anyway, it's almost like we didn't see people eating each other for the past three days. It's peaceful here, no?".

Lee agreed it was peaceful here, the birds were singing their melodious tweets around them and as Katjaa said it's almost easy to forget what's going on out there but Lee had question, one he was going to ask Kenny but he seemed busy and somewhat distracted from talking to him. "How did you handle getting through the city?"

Lee wasn't expecting a tale of a hero triumph over evil and from the distraught look in Katjaa's eyes, it was bad, probably worse than what he had to go through "Kenny just… drove. We passed so many people that needed help, and… we just… passed people, over some. Just… just…" Katjaa was starting to tear up and her voice was breaking.

Lee cut Katjaa off before she broke into tears "It's OK, it's fine, you don't have to say anymore". Clementine was listening and watching and seeing the nice lady tear up was hard for her to watch and felt sorry for the lady. Katjaa continued "I want to go home tomorrow, but even then I can't take away the things we… the things Duck- went through" Clementine knew the feeling, she wanted to go home tomorrow to find her Mom and Dad waiting with open arms, smiling at her and Clementine smiling back, embracing a familiar warmth.

Katjaa was curious as to what Lee thought of all this happening "Don't you want to go back to moment before you knew about all this?". The world was never perfect, Lee was thinking but this was hell, the dead have risen and it was turning them into flesh eating crazies so who on earth would think this is a better life "Anybody in their right mind would. Families and BBQ's and Beers with good friends".

Katjaa nodded in agreements as it was true, there really wasn't anything worth living for, but as long as she has Kenny and Duck she'll fight for survival and hold onto those precious memories of a better time "All of those things". "Those are the things we live for, right? With those gone, what's the point?" Lee explained while wondering apart from Clementine what did he have left that was worth fighting for, his wife was probably dead, his parents and his brother might hopefully be still alive, his new friends? Maybe but… nevermind.

Lee became curious as to what Katjaa does, Kenny's a fisherman but he doesn't know all that much about her "So uhh what do you do when… corpses aren't walking around?" he asked with a hint of humour in the last portion of the sentence.

"I am veterinarian back in Fort Lauderdale-like Hershel here, except more with dogs and cats and not horses" Katjaa explained, 'that's funny' Lee thought and continued 'I thought Hershel was a doctor, show's how much I know'.

Katjaa felt like knowing exactly what Lee did before all this "What is that do you Lee?" but Lee had no problem telling her as she answered his question "I used to teach up at the University of Georgia". Katjaa hasn't lost hope and she needed to be sure Lee doesn't either, not while he has Clementine

"We need to HOPE that we can go back to our jobs soon, Lee, back to normal. It can't stay like this". Lee hoped it wouldn't either, but it was highly unlikely. Lee responded, somewhat embarrassed by Katjaa's logic "Yeah, my mistake" however she didn't seem fazed and her next words had real meaning to him "We'll all be home soon". 'I hope so' looking to little Clementine who was equally happy to hear that.

Lee could hear Shawn's hammering from the other side of the house so he decided it was best he go help the boy get the job done but before doing that, he thought it best to let Clementine know in case something happens.

Lee bent down to Clementine's level, smiling as he looked at her and said "OK Clementine I'm gonna go and help Shawn with the fence, if you need anything you let me or Katjaa know, OK?". The little girl shook her head and softly replied "OK".

Lee stood up, turned around, taking a few steps forward when Clementine's soft voice called out to him "Lee?". Lee turned around to see Clementine leaving her position on the hay bale, walking toward Lee with curiosity evident in her eyes, her hand placed on top of the other and her head was aiming slightly down not looking directly at the man.

Lee bent down to her level again slightly concerned by the fact that she was looking sad or worried "Yeah?" with his eyes completely invested in whatever the little girl had to say and Katjaa was watching in the background. Clementine was clearly nervous, keeping her head down and struggling to speak while playing with her fingers "Do you think… my parents are safe?".

Lee was at a loss for words, trying to figure out the best possible way to respond to that question but making sure she didn't lose hope "I don't know, Clem". Clementine slumped her head and softly and sadly lowered her head "Oh" thinking for a second that Lee's response meant 'no' and she felt like shedding tears but Lee wasn't finished yet "But if they're any bit as smart and strong as you… I don't think we have much to worry about, do you?".

Clementine hadn't really thought about it like that "Yes, I think you're right", Clementine was smiling remembering she survived two days with those monsters roaming her streets and she had two in her yard the first day, she was smart and strong, both are things she learned from her Mom and Dad, they must be alright.

Lee was happy to see Clementine her smiling, hopeful eyes, something she hasn't seen from her until now and he felt good "Good, just remember that I won't let anything happen to you, I'll protect you".

Clementine looked at Lee directly into his eyes for the first time; she wasn't shy of him as asked "Promise?" Lee just smiled at her and replied "Promise" he would let anything or anyone hurt her, maybe this was his meaning to keep going, to protect a little girl who may have lost her parents but regardless he had meaning to his life again.

"Thanks for helping me" Clem thanked Lee now that she believes that her parents might be alive, she didn't know for sure but she has hope and that was she needed. "You're welcome Clementine" he responded with a glimmer of hope in his eye too, as he stood, watching Clementine run back to sit next to Katjaa, who smiled at Lee, thinking for a man who is not this girl's father he handled it like a father would which she was happy to see.

Lee decided to head over to where Shawn was working, already hammering away, like Lee had heard him, it started 5 minutes ago. Lee was watching Duck vigorously turning the steering wheel of the tractor, that wasn't running, thank god, and Lee had his hand up, a motionless hand gesture to the boy who brightly smiled and enthusiastically waved to the man he knew very little about, but it was nice to see such a happy-go-lucky kid who looked slightly older than Clementine.

Lee wanted to know how the boy was coping with the things his mother said he's been through "How you doing Duck?" and Duck quickly replied with a burst of energy, jumping up and down on the seat and rocking side to side "Good! I'm gonna drive the tractor! I'm the foreman! Lift with your back, Shawn". Shawn chuckled and replied "Yes Sir!, Mr Duck" and using his arm to salute the boy.

Lee was inspecting the tractor, noticing the trailer hooked to it, Lee was taking a closer look at the motor and Shawn was wiping the sweat from his forehead, looking to Lee and asked a question about the tractor "You know how to drive it?" wondering if Lee knew how to use it.

However Lee had no clue how to drive the tractor but he knew plenty about it "Sure don't, I can give you a hell of a critique of the US farm bill though". That didn't sound as interesting to Shawn he was more for learning to drive the damn thing "Ah I'm good" trying to weasel his way out of it, then again Lee only said that to mess with the boy. "How are these things to drive" Lee asked simply curious as he was a hometown kid not a farm boy like Shawn here. Before Shawn could respond Duck shouted "AWESOME!" but Shawn had other words to describe it "Pain in the ass mostly. Big, heavy as hell and slower than uhh…" Lee knew he was about to swear, but probably best if he didn't, he barely got away with saying it quietly to his father, in front of Clementine, but Duck might be more susceptible to swearing.

Lee was the one to back up Shawn last night about fortifying this place, and Shawn basically saved their lives back in town so it was only fair to lend a hand in protecting this place from those monsters "Need a hand?" he asked, eager to assist. Shawn was grateful as he needed a little break and more wood "That'd be great, if you could cut those two-bys to length that'd sure speed things up".

Lee went over to where a fresh two by four was already laid out ready to be cut, as the saw was resting on top of the two by four, Lee picked up the saw and started through it while Shawn began talking to Lee "My dad doesn't know how bad it is". Shawn was actually wondering whether Lee agreed with him on the matter "No, he doesn't".

Shawn, Otis and Kenny's family were probably the only people who truly knew how bad it was out there, Lee and Clementine have only seen what those 'things' do, but Shawn has seen some pretty fucked up shit from the living "I saw a guy in Atlanta kill a kid, a boy. Just shot him right in the face".

Lee was disgusted "Damn" but he wasn't sure whether he meant a turned one or just a kid, either way, Lee believed he could never kill a kid, turned or not "No shit, damn" Shawn added.

"He didn't even hesitate. He just turned, put the barrel of the gun right between the kid's eyes and pulled the trigger. You don't see things like that. It's not like in the movies". Lee would rather watch a movie of this kind of shit than actually having to live it, but how could it be so easy to kill someone like this man Shawn saw in Atlanta?

"They don't fall like you think" remembering how hard it was to take down the babysitter in Clementine's house by having to repeatedly bash its brains out, he wished Clementine didn't have to see that, no little girl should.

"Did you have to do it?" Shawn asked, Lee didn't understand the question "Do what?" Shawn wasn't eager to know but maybe the information could get his dad to understand and to learn how Lee has made it this far "Kill, have you had to off one yet?", Lee wasn't sure how to answer that "Oh uh…". Lee had just finished the first two by four and started looking for an answer to the question.

Lee wanted to say that he bashed a babysitter's brains out but that didn't sound like something a role model for kids would do, but the Police Officer was the first one he encountered, he remembers the part when he thought the Officer was alive, but Christ it wasn't good. Lee went with his first kill, the Police Officer he shot "I had to shoot one", Shawn was somehow OK with the idea of shooting those things "I could shoot one, maybe, if it were far away".

"I'm just glad we're getting this fence built. Dad just wants to keep the family safe and thinks inviting people in is a bigger threat than whatever's out there", in a way the living were probably just as dangerous because for starters, they're smarter, stronger and more adaptable, those things just kill what they can get a hold on. Lee could relate to Hershel, his parents would protect Lee and his brother when they were kids but that's a parent's job, right?

"How about yours?, How's your family?" Lee wasn't sure but he was hoping they were alive; he had a lot of issues he wanted to patch up with his brother, his Mom and Dad, why he was never there, how he could make things better? "My brother and parents are in Macon, I hope".

Shawn was hoping for Lee's folk's to be OK as Lee seemed like a decent man, like he Otis say he was a good man "Oh man I hope so too. Maybe it's not too bad there" Shawn was trying to offer Lee some hope as the man was probably worried sick enough as it is.

Lee just finished cutting through the second and final piece of wood, Shawn figured he should get back to work but Lee probably had other things to do "That's probably all I need cut for now. Thanks".

Lee was always happy to help someone in need especially a good kid like Shawn "Hey Shawn, thanks again for the ride" Shawn wasn't expecting any thanks but he appreciated it "No problem, Lee. Couldn't leave you behind" Shawn saw Lee as a good man probably one of the better people in this world.

Lee was looking at the trailer again, no reason just interested but through the corner of his eyes he notices the man Hershel, he was walking into the barn most likely to tidy up the area where he and Clementine were sleeping. Lee decided to go and see if Hershel needed any assistance, if it weren't for him, Lee's leg would still be limping everywhere.

Once Lee entered the barn he saw Hershel picking up hay in the messy area's and putting it in a neat pile in the corner of the barn. Hershel saw Lee come in and he stop shovelling the hay for a second, looking at the man suspiciously, returning to his work. Lee didn't like the look he received and then Hershel asked as he worked "Mind if I ask how you got out of Atlanta?". Lee thought he already answered this question "I got a ride and then I was in a wreck. I walked until I found Clementine and then your boy and Otis found us".

"No worse for wear I see" that sounded like doubt, was Hershel doubting his story? He decided to change the topic "This farm's a nice plot of land". Hershel agreed but never used to believe that "There was a time when I hated this place. My father was a satanic drunk, after he died, my family and I moved in. It never was my plan but I thought I could raise my girl's and Shawn here safely. Family's important, to me it's all that matters" Lee agreed, he just wished he could have a been a better family member like his brother "Do you agree with me?" Hershel asked.

Lee did agree but he never had the time to be there for his family, if they were still alive, he would try to make things right "Was brought up to, yes".

"Where's your family now, parents? wife? girlfriend?" the Hershel was asking a very strange question, wife or girlfriend? Did he know, regardless he responded "My parents are in Macon, with my brother". Hershel showed concern for the obviously touchy subject matter "Well I hope they're all right". "But now you got this little girl to take care of, Clementine right?" Lee nodded in agreement and acknowledgement as he continued "You just stumbled upon her?".

Lee remembered looking for help in her house, but then that babysitter got the jump on him, if she hadn't come down from that tree house with the hammer who knows how much longer he would've lasted. "I was being attacked and she came to my rescue" Hershel suddenly stopped working, finishing his job and leaned the pitchfork against a bale of hay.

Hershel didn't look like he believed the man's explanations of a little girl saving his ass "Can I give you a piece of advice?" Lee was hesitant for a second but he replied "Sure". Hershel stood a metre from Lee and explained "I don't know who you are and what you did. Let's say things don't get better, or it gets worse. You're going to have to depend on the honesty of strangers but if they start questioning you and you're not honest about the kind of person you are. Then you might be running into some serious trouble".

That was a lot to take in but it was useful advice, but does he know what he did? Regardless Hershel was right he had to be honest to people he meets from now on or it might get him, or even worse Clementine killed, but he would do his best to make sure that doesn't happen. "But at least you have the common sense to listen to a man giving you advice" Hershel added, despite how much he knows about him, Lee appreciated the advice and would try to keep it in mind.

* * *

Suddenly "AARRGGHHHH" Shawn screams and then the Tractor engine came on. Lee's eyes shot open horrified, mouth open as he ran out of the barn, Hershel shouted "GO! I'll get my gun!" running to the house at breakneck paste. Lee sprinted to the scene, past a panicking Katjaa, behind the house where Shawn was lying on the ground with his leg stuck under the wheel of the tractor; Duck must've started the engine by accident. Clementine was already there, watching unsure of what to do, but the worst part was that those 'Things' were on the other side of the fence trying to get at Shawn who was petrified, screaming for help. Duck wasn't sure what was happening, leaning to the side to see what was wrong with Shawn, before another one of those things showed up behind the fence, grabbing a hold of Duck by the leg, then holding him by the shoulders, he screamed yelling "Help!, Help me", Lee looked at Shawn pleading "My leg is stuck". Lee was shitting himself on what to do; Save Shawn, the guy who gave them a ride and place to stay or save Duck, Kenny and Katjaa's son. 'Maybe I can save them both' Lee went for Duck first because that thing was almost on him, Lee punched it in the face which did nothing. Then Kenny showed up climbing onto the tractor, putting his arms around Duck while Lee went for a second punch, but still nothing, it held on tight so Lee put full force into his right fist and smashed it into the face this time managing to make the creature lose its grip on Duck. Kenny jumped off the tractor "Kenny, Lee help me please!" Kenny was conflicted on what to do, he wanted to get his boy to safety first. Kenny ran off to get Duck to safety "KENNY!" but Lee couldn't abandon Shawn not after everything he's done for him and Clementine. Lee shouted "SHAWN! I'm coming!" and he ran around the tractor to Shawn looking up him, petrified but glad to see him "I thought you had left me!" and Lee shouted "NEVER!". Shawn shouted "Get it off me!" he shouted Lee reached for both his hands, hoping to yank him free. It wasn't working "Fuck, it's crushed. Move this thing!" voice breaking as Lee moved to the front of the tractor, trying to avoid those things from him, or he wouldn't be able to save Shawn. Lee was pushing the tractor with full force but it wasn't working, the tractor wasn't moving an inch, but he kept trying, not wanting to lose him to those monsters. 'What was that noise?' he thought before looking back at Shawn and the 'Things' were breaking through the fence until suddenly. The monsters broke through the fence; Lee backed away petrified, wide eyed, mouth open in horror as one of the creatures bit down into Shawn's leg, causing him to scream in agonising pain and then the second one bit into the boy's neck.

Hershel was rushing toward them, Clementine looking horrified by what she was witnessing, backing away, whimpering. Hershel had his shotgun at the ready but paused in shock at the sight of the 'things' chewing into his step-son. Hershel aimed his shotgun, shooting the one eating at Shawn's leg in the head, causing the one eating at Shawn's neck to growl and look at him, Hershel shot in the head as well, then the one that grabbed Duck was moving forward to feed off Shawn, but Hershel fired at the head, falling to the ground.

Hershel stood there for a second trying to take in what he just did, furiously angry but his expression softened as he looked down at his dying step-son. Shawn was weak, hurt, dying as he looked at his father through the corner of his eyes, too hurt to move "I'm OK pop…I'm OK…" Shawn's voice was weak, he was not OK. Hershel could barely summon the words to speak, when he did it was a broken saddened voice "I can fix you, don't worry, we'll stitch you up" he couldn't believe it was happening to Shawn, a good boy, a boy willing to help others no matter what.

"It almost… almost got me, man. Lee tried to save me" Shawn had no energy, no strength but he used it all to shift the position of his head to stare at Lee with a weak smile. Hershel was taken aback by those words as he looked to Lee who looked shocked, scared, saddened to see Shawn like this, he couldn't save him in time, Lee felt horrible, wanting to look away but he couldn't, Shawn was dying because he didn't try hard enough. Hershel however was grateful that Lee tried unlike… that… he decided not to think about that other man, Hershel responded to Shawn and Lee in a way of acknowledging his good deed "I know, son". Hershel was close to tears before his step-son uttered his last word "I…". Hershel's eyes widened in utter shock, his step-son, his son, Shawn was dead.

Hershel broke into tears leaning against his son's head, silently crying, with a hand resting on the back of the boy's neck and the other resting on his hand, holding him close. Lee stood there saddened, not knowing what he could have done to save him, he couldn't look at Shawn's dead body, he didn't deserve to die, and he was a good kid.

Kenny, Katjaa, Duck and Clementine arrived at the scene. Katjaa was horrified by what she saw, she tried to keep Duck and Clementine back, not wanting them to see Shawn dead, for Clementine it was already too late, she saw it all, Lee saving Duck and then trying to save Shawn. Kenny was shocked to see the boy he neglected to help, dead, dead because he didn't help Lee, like he helped him save Duck. Kenny looked at Lee with an 'I'm sorry' look in his eyes, Lee understood but it didn't change the fact that Shawn was dead, Keeny felt like shit, he should've helped.

Hershel suddenly slowly rose to his knees, staring down at his only son, dead "Get out" he whispered, no one but Kenny and Lee heard him. Kenny realised Hershel said that to him, but Kenny couldn't move, he was just… shocked, Hershel gritted his teeth together, seeing Kenny just stand there and immediately stood up, furiously shouting at Kenny, but everyone else too "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!".

Hershel looked wild; everyone jumped at those words most of all Clementine, hiding near Katjaa, scared. Duck held on tight to his mother while Kenny just stood there frozen, too afraid to move but he uttered weakly "I'm sorry". Hershel was in mood for an apology from the man who neglected to help his boy, he shouted the first word at the top of his lungs "SORRY!? Your boy is alive. You don't get to be sorry!". Kenny knew that he was right; he could never undo his mistake. Hershel turned to Lee with softer eyes, but his face drenched with sadness, voice cracked "You…You tried to help him, but that piece of shit let him die!", shouting into Kenny's face, who didn't say a word, he just stood there letting Hershel's words hit him. Lee appreciated Hershel's words but Kenny didn't kill Shawn, those things did "You shouldn't blame Kenny for this". Hershel was annoyed that Lee was siding with the guy who didn't even try to help "Hell! I CAN'T!, wait until it's your little girl and YOU NEED HIS HELP!". Lee couldn't think of anything happening to Clementine, he wouldn't let it.

Hershel turned around gazing down at his son's lifeless body again, not wanting to believe it "Please, just go. Get out and never come back!". Hershel kept his back to Lee and the others as he bent down to mourn his son. Clementine walked around Katjaa and made her move to Lee, holding onto Lee's hand, leaning up against him, saddened by Shawn's death, Lee was sad too as Shawn was a good kid and he wouldn't forget this boy ever.

Everyone was silent, looking at one another, seeing how each person was taking it, Kenny was taking it the hardest, apart from obviously Hershel. Lee looked at the Commercial Fisherman, who looked at Lee, emotionally hurt, and then Kenny looked at Clementine beside Lee, holding onto his hand for dear life. Kenny looked up at Lee again, hurt by what he did, and spoke almost like a whisper "You've got that ride to Macon, if you want it".

Kenny, Katjaa and Duck slowly walked over to the blue pickup truck of Kenny's with Lee and Clementine following close behind. No one spoke, there was nothing to say, Shawn was dead but as they got to the pickup truck, down the dirt was a familiar figure running to them. Otis was huffing and puffing, running to them with his Rifle strapped to his back, no one knew how to tell the man what just happened. Otis halted as he got to Lee and Kenny, a look of panic and exhaustion on his face "I heard gunfire, what happened?".

Kenny had his head planted to the ground unable to speak, he sat inside the truck closing the door. Otis was concerned even more now that no one was telling him anything, he shifted his view from Kenny to Lee. Lee looked at the truck's door, opening it for Clementine who slowly climbed in, seating herself beside Katjaa, who was keeping a close eye on her and Duck beside her, both quiet. Lee was unable to sum up the power to speak, so he turned his head to face in Hershel's direction and Otis saw the older man kneeling to the ground before… "My God" Otis whispered, wide eyed in disbelief. Otis eyed Lee hoping for answers, all Lee could say was "Those things… we couldn't save him". Lee looked at Otis apologetically; he took his hat off, placing it over his chest and walked slowly over to the older man, with his head facing the ground the entire way. Lee's eyes closed, breathing through his nose, he closed Clementine's door and watched Otis kneel down beside Hershel placing his hand on his back in support of this tragedy. Lee hopped into the front of the truck, he looked at Kenny, both men were in a state of shock and disbelief, Kenny turned the key, starting the engine, and started driving down the dirt road, away from here. Clementine turned herself around looking back at the farm one last time before it slowly disappeared from her sight and everyone else's.

* * *

The whole trip was a quiet one, but they had made it to Macon, Lee was taking in the sites or rather the horrors, this place was a ghost town, with ghost towns came more of them dead things. Kenny was looking at the fuel gage when suddenly the truck was slowly coming to a halt "Well this is as far as we're going" Kenny spoke unenthusiastically as Lee responded "Then it's far enough". They would have to go find some gas, Lee was the first to exit the truck followed by Kenny and then the rest, Lee was very keen on finding his parents. Clementine walked over to Lee and started stretching having been in that truck almost eight hours or so, and only one pit stop, that didn't go bad, thankfully. Lee looked at his watch '5:19', still daylight but the sky was orange yellow, night time was approaching quickly. Lee looked to the little girl, he smiled at Clementine trying to forget what happened on the farm, but that would take some time as Lee enjoyed Shawn's company and his heart, the love for the safety of his family, which was Lee's fuelling system at the moment.

The place was quiet; no one was around, cars were crashed against wall's, electricity polls and one had even crashed through a building, Lee could see a television store straight ahead, Lee's family drugstore wasn't very far from here now. 'Where is everybody?' Lee was wondering, but Kenny was thinking the same thing. They hadn't seen a single one of those things yet, that was a good sign but that didn't mean there were none around, but as long as they were quiet like Clementine said the first time he and her met, they should be fine.

"AAAAhhhhh" a female screamed and everyone jumped into panic mode, "What the hell!" Kenny blurted, not sure what to do, Lee for whatever reasoned ran forward to the screams, Clementine, Kenny and his family quickly followed him. Lee steered around the cars, running at full speed toward the scream, until he made it near his family drugstore. Lee was wide eyed, alert and panicking as he looked to the left and saw a big grey van parked near a boarded up store, the van was surrounded by 'shit' those monsters.

The worst part was that those screams came from atop the van, a lady, white buttoned shirt, three quarter pants, she was short, slightly taller than Katjaa maybe, long dark brown hair that came down to the neck and her lips red as a rose but she was beautiful nonetheless, she was panicking, scared and defenceless and she was struggling to keep her balance on the van's roof. There was also a guy, medium weight, dorky looking guy, chocolate coloured hair, medium green coloured shirt with an image of a white bunny, also wearing greyish brown shorts, he had already lost his balance, resting his chest on the roof of the van, and both of them were looking down at a herd of hungry dead people. "Jesus we got to help them!" Lee shouted and Kenny replied "Damn right but how!?" Lee was about to respond when suddenly more of those things started coming.

One of those things crawled out from under a truck, legs broken and another one walked around the truck and to their left one rose to its feet and then they were being approached from every direction, Katjaa shouted "We're trapped!". Lee noticed a handgun within the crowd of dead people, it looked like a Glock 17 model. The van, he thought, one of those two on the roof must have dropped it, if he could get to it maybe "Aahhh".

Duck was screaming, everyone turned around horrified to see one of those things climbing over the boy, Katjaa and Kenny were frozen in place, and Lee was looking back between Duck and the two people on the van not sure what to do as those things were getting too close. Duck was shouting from the ground "Ahhh! NO! No!" but just before the creature was able to bite him, a gunshot went off.

The creature fell beside the boy, now covered in blood, everyone turned to the corner of the Drugstore where a guy in his early 20's was standing, aiming a shot gun. This person was about Lee's weight, wearing oval shaped glasses, he was wearing a blue shirt with red and white words on it '251 East 4th street. METALWORKS DEPT, NYC', long black track pants, wearing a brown jacket over his shirt but the jacket was unzipped. The kid's hair was messy looking; he too was slightly taller than Katjaa.

Everyone stood there gawking until he bent down to the ground reaching into a back pack near his feet, and pulling out two hand guns. Lee and Kenny weren't sure what the person was doing, he looked at the two men before standing up and shouting "Hey, you two, catch!". The guy hurled the two guns over to Lee and Kenny, catching them, realising this guy was helping them, they turned back, looking at the van when one of those things was about to climb on Lee, Kenny didn't hesitate and shot the monster, saving Lee from being bitten.

The younger guy was placing his back pack on his back, picking up the shot gun and started walking over to the new people, his shotgun ready. "Shoot the one's surrounding the van!" the guy shouted, Lee was the first to fire, taking one down instantly with a head shot, Kenny quickly followed, hitting another one. The guy came in between Lee and Kenny looking at both of them and said "Cover me while I get that gun for those two on the van!". Lee knew he was a friendly one eager to assist, Lee shook his head in agreement and replied "You got it!" and Kenny added "But make it quick kid" not wanting to stick around much longer, then again neither did the new guy.

The guy walked forward firing at the close ones, keeping them away while he did his thing, pulling the slide on his Shot gun after every shot, the people on the roof of the van were wondering what to do, as the kid was getting closer to them. Lee fired another shot at one just in front of the kid saving him a shot gun shell; he looked back at Lee who shook his head, while thinking 'I got you covered'. There were more of those dead bastards on the other side of the van but they were no threat at the moment, the guy made it to the van, reaching down to the hand gun, but as he stood up, another one of those things snuck up on the kid about to bite down on his shoulder however Lee hit it first with a well-placed bullet. The kid noticed Lee saved him, smiling at one another, then the kid looked up at the distressed woman and said "Heads up" tossing the gun to her, who instantly reloaded a fresh clip and aimed toward the group, Kenny thought she was about to kill one of them, she fired, blasting the brains out of one of those 'things' that had snuck up on Katjaa, Kenny quickly realised that and was thankful.

The lady jumped off the van beside the new kid who was leaning against the van, trying not to let the dead on the side of the van notice his presence, and then the dorky looking guy followed but stumbled a bit as he landed. Lee and Kenny were still shooting but they just kept coming, Lee shouted "Damn! They just keep coming!" and Kenny answered "There's too many of these fucking things!", they were quickly running out of ammo, Lee knew this, as did Kenny.

The new kid that showed up and saved their asses ran toward Lee and the group with the two new people frantically following him. The kid halted at the group and shouted "Everyone follow me, there's a safe place not far from here. Stay close, kids stay close to your parents, everyone else shoot and don't stop moving unless I do!". Lee and Kenny agreed, shaking their heads and the lady replied "Then let's get of here".

The group of survivors ran; back down the street Lee and his group came from, with a dozen or more of those things close behind. Clementine was keeping herself close to Lee, just like he needed her to, the kid leading the group to safety stopped near the truck that Kenny had been driving for a long time. Lee and Kenny were baffled, "Why did we stop?" Lee questioned. The kid and the lady stood beside one another, firing at the incoming herd, the dorky guy was standing behind the lady with a frightened expression. The kid shouted "Get what you need from your truck, we have to keep moving, so hurry!".

Lee, Kenny, Katjaa, Duck and Clementine rushed to the truck, reaching into the back of the truck to grab the three back packs, Kenny lifted each bag out of the back, handing the first one to Katjaa "Honey, take this!, Lee you take this one!, and the last one is mine" they each strapped the bags to their backs and Kenny shouted "OK that's all we need!".

Lee then shouted "Then let's get the hell out of here", Lee quickly looked at the little girl who was scared, trembling as she looked at the herd of monsters then at Lee who spoke softly enough to her, without shouting "Clementine stay close to me" she shook her head, the unknown kid shouted "We gotta keep going!" no one hesitated, they just kept running, occasionally they had to shoot one in front of them. They followed the kid to an alleyway, where he stopped, quickly facing the group yelling "Alleyway!" and the lady shouted "What?" looking at the young man like he was fricking crazy. The alley contained a dumpster leaning against the building, dark it was and Kenny shouted "Yeah, hell with that!" not risking his wife and son like this.

The kid was becoming stressed, frantically trying to get them to follow him, so he could help them, he had to quickly think how to convince them, but he quickly shouted "It's that dark, empty alleyway or them" pointing at the herd of flesh eaters, everyone looked at how many there were, 30, 40, 'shit' there were too many.

The Kid ran down the alley way not noticing a single flesh eater hiding in the darkness between the dumpster and a trash can, but the others followed not wanting to be devoured by those 'things', Lee and Clementine were at the rear of the group, no one noticed the dead thing hiding either. Lee and Clementine rushed down the alley, when all of a sudden the dead creature pounced from the darkness, grabbing a hold of Clementine's legs, she screamed and everyone looked back, the new kid quickly aimed his shotgun for its head, trying not to hit the little girl but "Darn, out of shells" and Kenny immediately shoved the boy, not hard, just enough to convey his annoyance and shouted "Damn it!".

Lee was furious at that dead bastard, running to Clementine and reaching for the monsters shoulders, forcing it off of Clem and shouted "GET AWAY FROM HER YOU SONOFABITCH!". Lee was now struggling to overwhelm the dead creature as it forced its jaws closer to him, it was about to bite him, but a bullet pierced through the things skull. It tumbled to the ground, Lee and Clementine looked to the group wondering who shot it, the new lady had done it, Lee yelled "Good shot" but she replied "Thank me later". The young kid shouted "Uh guys? They're coming!" the herd was entering the Alley.

They all panicked, Kenny and the new girl were about to fire but both their guns clicked and Kenny cursed "Fuck!, out of ammo!" but the new kid got their attention "Let's keep moving!". The kid made a right turn with Kenny and the others following him, Lee held onto Clementine's hand not wanting to let that happen again.

The group were out of ammo, and up ahead were two more of those things blocking their way, Kenny shouted "What the fuck do we do now, kid?" he didn't respond, he flipped his shotgun around, holding the metal nozzle end and ran toward the first one, screaming, like a war cry as he smashed the wooden end into the monsters head, and quickly repeating the process with the second, bashing it's head in, blood splattering across the ground.

Kenny, Lee, the dorky guy and the lady were all met with disbelief, impressed that he was able to take down two almost bare handed, he looked back and replied "Something like that! Now let's keep going, we're almost there!". The group didn't hesitate, they continued on following this kid who had basically saved seven lives today, but not quite yet.

They kept running forward for three minutes not stopping, not far ahead was a motel sign, Kenny and Lee suspected that's where they were heading and their 'guide' shouted "The motel!". When they got there, they saw it was barricaded by dumpsters, desk, boxes, planks of wood, barbed wire, steel, chairs and one old pickup truck, it was like a fortress.

The new guy ran to the barricaded wall, to an old pickup truck used as part of defending the area, keeping the things out, and he threw himself into the back of the pickup truck, he quickly stood up, looking at the group and shouted "Wait by the dumpsters, I'll let you in!". The kid jumped over the side of the pickup truck, running to what was the gate, Lee waved his head to the rest of the group to what the young man asked, Kenny was slightly suspicious but he saved Duck, that was enough to convince him that he was a good one.

The guy pulled the bar attached to the constructed gate, having a tough time doing it by himself; he was able to open it enough for everyone to come through. "Help me close the gate" the guy asked, pleading for help, Lee was the first to make it by his side, followed by the dorky looking guy, and the three of them forced the gate closed. The kid was looking directly to the right, down the street where they came from, there were so many of the monsters, if they didn't hide now, they'd all be chewed on.

The kid quietly remarked "OK everyone, follow me up the stairs", the group followed the guy's orders, making their way up stairs to the second floor, the kid stopped at the first door of the floor, turning the knob and gesturing his hand, whispered "Get inside, go, go, go", no one argued, the dead people were too close, they all ran into a darkened room, a small amount of light was seeping through the curtain. The room had two beds spread away from one another against the left wall, a small table with two chairs near the right wall, a door at the very back of the room, a bathroom most likely.

Everyone rushed inside, the younger person closed the door behind him, he looked to everyone who stood there, remaining quiet, the kid bent down, gesturing the others to do the same. The kid whispered "Stay down, don't make a sound", Clementine's face was horrified, holding onto Lee who kept his eyes on the new kid who inched his way to the curtains, Katjaa was wiping the blood off of Duck's face with a clean white towel, laid out on one of the two beds. The two other people were behind everyone else, the kid slowly pulled the curtain back; Lee came next to him, getting a peek out the window. The herd of dead people were passing the motor inn, but there were a couple of stragglers stopping by the gate, the kids face went all screwy as he silently begged 'Please, keep moving away from here, follow the other dead creepers'.

It was complete silence for five minutes, no one moved, no one spoke, the sound of everyone breathing was the only sound they made, Lee had placed his arm around Clementine, rubbing her shoulder, keeping her settle, Kenny and his family were huddled together, the other two remained where they were, the kid was just waiting by the window, most of the herd had passed, but there were four stragglers still out there by the gate, but it looked like they were losing interest and then finally they turned around, slowly heading for the woods.

The kid finally sighed, backing away from the window, leaning his back against the door, sitting down "They're gone" the kid replied, everyone sighed with relief, they all stood up, glad to hear those things were gone. Kenny was the first to speak "Christ that was close", Lee added "There were so many of them". The new guy was trying to catch his breath, he couldn't breathe while in a situation like that, but he smiled and replied with a light chuckle "So much for spring break, right?" everyone looked at him with a dull expression, the kid rolled his eyes, no one thought that was funny? Geez he thought.

The kid stood up, brushing the dust off his pants, receiving strange looks from everyone, he didn't like it, Kenny couldn't handle the silence anymore and spoke out "What the hell was all that?", everyone knew he was referring to those things just herding through the streets, "THAT was a herd of Walkers" the kid replied aloud, no one understood what he meant, Lee replied, somewhat puzzled by that word "Walkers?". The kid looked at Lee and replied "Yeah that's what I call them", Lee shook his head, understanding.

Katjaa had picked up another clean towel while everyone else was preoccupied, but the new guy was concerned "The kid OK?" he asked as she was wiping his arms, covered with red and black muck. The caring mother looked over her shoulder to see the young man who saved her son and Katjaa replied with a small smile "Yes, just a little scared". The young man lightly smiled, but he was a bit nervous about the next topic he had to bring up "No bite?".

In that moment everybody was looking at him, worried, except Kenny who was confused and slightly irritated by this strange question "What the hell you talking about?". The kid studied the facial expression of all these people and he came to a conclusion "You don't know?", Kenny looked slightly annoyed, gritting his teeth together, Katjaa and the two new people were very curious and Lee was concerned by what he means "Know what?" he asked.

The kid leaned against the door, sighed, looking down at the floor for a second to collect his thoughts before he responded "You get bit… you become one of those walking flesh bags". Everyone in the group, including Clementine, went wide eyed and silent as they took in that statement, the lady didn't seem as shocked, possibly seeing it happen to someone she knew.

Kenny was taken back, shocked, scared, horrified, his son was almost bitten by one of those bastards, his eyebrows frowned and blurted "Are you fucking serious?". The kid could sense the doubt in the man's voice, but it didn't offend him, he hardly believed it himself, but he slowly shook his head and explained "Yeah… you get bit, or scratched or any of their blood in your system, you'll turn into one of them".

Lee crossed his arms going into deep thought about the dead people he's encountered and their situation, the Police Officer, attacked by 'Walkers' and then he tries to kill him and the Babysitter who attacked him in Clementine's house, 'Shit' he thought, but now he knows how it spread so quickly. Kenny placed his hands on the sides of his head, grasping his hair, frustrated, angry, scared, as he whispered so the kids couldn't hear "Shit, Fucking… just fuck!". Lee looked around the room, the look of fear and hopelessness plagued their faces, even Clementine looked like she was losing hope, the kid realised this, looking at the little girl and decided to change the topic.

"Enough about all that, if you're hungry or thirsty, there's food stockpiled in the cupboards and in the fridge, feel free to take what you like, but… not too much, gotta make sure these supplies last, OK?". The kid pointed to the back of the room, in the corner was a refrigerator, no one had noticed til now and he pointed to the cupboards along the side wall, by the table.

Lee and the others headed for the refrigerator and the cupboards, while the kid walked over to the window, taking another glimpse out the window, no walkers, which was good. Kenny was the first to open the refrigerator, everyone behind him or beside him was shocked to see heaps of foods and drinks such as Yogurts, soda, grapes, soft drinks, alcohol, chocolate bars, bottles of water, milk and heaps of other stuff, everyone was looking happy, like they had hope again. The dorky looking guy and Lee went for the cupboards, they were just as awed by the amount of food this kid had gathered, there was cheese and crackers, chips, boxes of cookies, beef jerky, candy, breads, fruity bars, a bag of apples and lots of other delicious goods.

Lee and dorky guy grinned from ear to ear, as they stared at all the food that the kid had 'Enough to keep a group like us going for months, but where did he get all of this food?'. Lee looked at the kid who had a chair pulled up by the window, peeking every so often, Lee was suspicious but he dismissed for now and grabbed some food he would pass around. Kenny started handing out drinks, giving a bottle of water to his wife, an orange juice box to Duck "Here ya go Duckie", his boy smiled, happily excepting the drink "Thanks Dad" before he immediately ripped the straw from the plastic, poking it into the juice box and started drinking delicious orange juice. Lee squeezed past Kenny grabbing a bottle of water and an orange juice box.

Lee looked to Clementine who had a big smile on her face, which made him happy, and he responded "Here Clem, you need to eat" he handed to Clementine some cheese and crackers and she smiled and replied "Thank you Lee, a sundae would be better, next time" she added humourlessly chuckling and he lightly chuckled as he replied "I'll keep that in mind, oh and here's some juice Clem" handing her the juice box, smiling even more at the man who had rescued her today. Clementine looked over at Duck who was rubbing his hands against his tummy, Clementine looked back at Lee and said "Duck is hungry too".

Lee adored her caring nature and replied "Don't worry Clem I'm gonna give him some food as well, enjoy your food Clem, you've earned it". Lee made his way over Duck who was waiting for food from his dad, who was scrounging around for something in the fridge for something for his wife first, Lee came up to Duck "Hey Duck, how about some food?". The boy instantly perked up, wide smile, eyes brimming with excitement as Lee handed him some cheese and crackers, the boy was immediately overjoyed "Yeah, AWESOME, Man I'm so hungry". Duck was quickly munching through his crackers, and scooping the cheese with his fingers, Lee was happy to see the boy fed, Kenny tilted his head in Lee's direction, smiling at the man who has once again helped his son, Lee shook his head at Kenny before turning around and decided to meet the two new people, starting with the lady who saved him, when he was protecting Clementine from those things known as 'Walkers'.

Lee made his move toward the lady who was observing Kenny and Katjaa by the refrigerator, she looked eager to get a drink or something, Lee looked at her from the side on 'cute' he thought before he politely stated with a smile "You're pretty good shot".

The lady turned her head at the voice, then she faced him whilst responding "Well, you don't fuck with a reporter, especially one that's three days out from her last cup of coffee" it was almost an attempt at humour; she smiled while glancing at the man and everyone past him.

Lee appreciated this lady for saving him when he was toe-to-toe with that 'Walker' and decided to thank her with praise "You seem to handle yourself pretty well", her eyes slightly sloped, but Lee couldn't tell why, she didn't look sad, she lightly chuckled "Ha, really? I'm a disaster". Lee couldn't believe that, she seemed nice and normal enough and replied "I can't tell". The short reporter lady was silent for a few seconds, in deep thought before revealing a tragic thing she had to witness "My News editor was eaten about five feet away from me, and I would've joined her if it wasn't for that dorky guy drinking Mountain dew over there".

Lee and the Reporter guided their eyes toward the dorky guy she was referring to, drinking a 600ml bottle of Mountain Dew, Lee looked at the Reporter with a sympathetic expression "I'm sorry", she appreciated his sympathies but added "She was an asshole, but, you know", he shook his head replying "Yeah" remembering the nice Police Officer and Shawn, the boy who died doing what was best for his family while holding onto his humanity as a good kid, who tried to help people.

The Reporter noticed the man was in deep thought, a bit concerned for the man and realised she hadn't introduced herself and she spoke to the man, catching his attention "By the way I'm Carley", Lee smiled at the Reporter known as Carley and said "Nice to meet you Carley, I'm Lee, and she's Clementine" standing to the side to see the little girl, drinking her juice box with Duck standing in front of her, he was excitably ranting about cyborgs and robots, who'd win in a fight or something, Clem looked a bit baffled by the topic, which put a bit of a smile on Lee's face, and Carley even smiled at the sight of a little girl being lectured about mechanic monstrosities by a hyperactive boy strangely named Duck.

Carley's smile quickly faded as she came to the conclusion that the little girl and this man in front of her were not related, her reporter side kicked in and looked at Lee with scepticism, which easily caught his concern, until she replied "She's not your daughter?".

'Strange' Lee thought, Carley was the first persons he's met who didn't mistaken Clementine to be his daughter 'guess that's why she's a reporter' he thought. Lee was oblivious to the idea of telling Carley his backstory before everything went to shit, but she deserved to know what Clementine has gone through, and he owed her for saving him earlier "No, I found her alone with her um babysitter".

Lee struggled with those last three words, Carley's realised exactly what he meant, her reaction was concern and horror mixed together, thinking of a babysitter turning into one of those freaks, and how it could traumatise a little girl "Wow that's gotta be rough", she spoke sympathetically, that little girl seemed sweet when he was watching Lee give her food before. Lee looked to Clementine who had seated herself on the bed closest to the bathroom door and Duck was still going on about lasers and rockets and stuff. Lee cared for Clementine even if she was not his daughter, he wanted to keep this little girl safe "Yeah, she'd been surviving on her own, I told her I'd help her find her parents but they were in Savannah and I heard them on an answering machine, it didn't sound good" he kept his voice down as he explained, also making sure Clem was out of earshot so she couldn't hear them.

"Holy shit" Carley replied, not wanting to think about how the little girl finding out that her parents may be 'Walkers' or whatever they are, she realised that for Lee it must be hard to keep that from her, but given the circumstances, and if that were her, she'd probably keep a thing like that secret too. "Holy shit is right, but I promised I'd protect her until we find them" Lee explained to Carley after seeing her reaction about the answering machine comment, that was the reaction he had too, he looked back at Clem, Duck still going on.

Carley remembered how Lee forced that Walker off of Clementine back in the alley, he showed real determination in getting it away from her, he protected her, even if that meant putting himself in danger, he did a very heroic thing to save a little girl who he had just found alone. Carley could tell Lee had a protective bond over Clementine, it was sweet of him to be doing all he can to keep her safe and she seemed happy around him. Carley smiled at Lee's statement and responded "Well you did just that back in the alley, she's lucky to have you looking out for her", Lee was grateful to hear her praise him for his deeds, he sometimes wasn't sure if what he was doing was the right thing to do, but he was happy to hear from Carley that he was "Thanks" smiling at her. Carley returned the smile, always happy to help out those who need it.

It became silent between Lee and Carley for few seconds as Lee glanced over at the dorky guy who was sitting on the second bed with his back to the kids, holding a remote, observing it, looks like a TV remote, but there was no TV in here he started messing around with the buttons, Carley was watching him now too, Lee then responded "You said that guy saved you?". The dorky guy kept pushing buttons; Carley started ranting "Yeah, can you believe it? Those creeps or-or ghouls or whatever the hell they are, they were pulling our van apart and that guy, Doug just came to the rescue".

Lee was surprised to hear that about the dorky guy known as Doug, a hero, in Carley's eyes but when hell breaks loose, people's inner hero can be brought out to shine; Doug seemed to be one of those people who does the right thing and help people "You can never tell who the heroic ones are going to be I suppose".

Lee noticed the intensive look she had on Doug and she mumbled to herself "He's kind of cute, in that parent's basement sort of way", Lee didn't quite hear all of that and questioned "Huh?", Carley eyes quickly widened and then they quickly un-widened when she realised she said it out loud, her cheeks were as red as her lips and she quickly responded "Huh? Oh…nothing" she was a bit embarrassed; she'd be more so if Doug heard her.

It was somewhat obvious that Carley wasn't from Macon, he didn't recognise her, so why was she here in Macon in the first place he wondered, plus he was interested in learning more about Carley "How'd you end up here?" she seemed a bit proud at that moment as she replied with enthusiasm brimming in her eyes "We drove up to cover the Cherry Blossom Festival, real hard hitting stuff". Lee was wary about what exactly happened, but he remained focused on the current topic and answered "Sounds worth it". That response actually sounded pretty stupid now that realised it but Carley didn't mind so much, regardless she gave Lee a light smile and replied "If the dead hadn't come back to life, I'd agree with you" she did a slight chuckle at the end of her explanation and it put a smile on Lee's face, glad to hear she was trying to be optimistic about it all at least.

Lee thought Carley must be hungry, who knows how long they've been stranded atop that van, he thought an apple was something she may like, most people love apples, maybe Carley did too "Have an Apple Carley" he held out the apple and Carley looked delighted "God I used to eat apples every morning with granola and six almonds, it was never enough even then, but OK… Thanks", she was grateful for Lee's kindness "You're welcome" he responded politely to the nice reporter who respected Lee for what he was doing to help people and protect that little girl, her cheeks were red, blushing as she looked at the apple then at Lee "I'm going to find out more about that kid" nudging his head in the direction of the guy that saved them. Carley shook her head in understanding and replied "Good idea, but go easy on him, he did save our asses" Lee agreed, he shook his head, before turning around and walking over to the kid sitting by the window.

* * *

Doug was watching Lee hand Carley the apple and he felt a bit jealous for not offering her something, he wanted to talk to her but he wasn't sure he could. He just stared at Carley biting down on that apple, he was in a love trance, he tried looking away but he found his eyes stuck on her. Eventually he forced himself to look away, staring down at the floor, trying to sum up the courage to talk to her, and thinking of what would he say to her, obvious to the fact that he was no Prince Charming, but he did save her from those monsters, maybe he has a shot. Carley had secretly noticed Doug staring at her through the corner of her eye but she didn't mind, in fact she kind of liked it.

* * *

Kenny had just finished a bottle of water, he had been paying attention to what Lee was doing, handing food to the reporter 'Carley' was it, the one that saved his wife from one of those things. Kenny would thank her later, but at the moment his mind was focused on what happened back at the farm, and what happened to Shawn.

Kenny was reliving the event over and over again, each one worse than the last, Shawn on the ground, foot crushed by the tractor, Kenny was standing there looking down at the boy yelling out "Kenny, help me, please". Kenny just stood there frozen on the spot until he saw what looked like to an echo of him holding his son, running away, Shawn's voice echoed through his senses "KEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYYYYY!". Kenny cuffed his ears trying to block out the intense ear piercing shriek of the boy he neglected to save.

"Kenny" a voice called out "Kenny", the same voice called out a second time "Kenny" Katjaa's voice broke through to him. Kenny's eyes widened as he returned to reality, his wife staring at him, her face filled with concern "Ken are you alright". Kenny didn't want to concern her as she worries way too much about him, so he shook his head and answered "I'm fine, Hon", Katjaa wasn't convinced but given his sometimes stubborn nature she doubted he would say anything anyway. Katjaa shook her head before focusing on Duck who was having excitable conversation with Clementine, she remembered how Duck was attacked by that walker on the street, if it wasn't for that unknown kid showing up when he did, she'd hate to think about what might have happened to her boy, she loves Duck more than life itself, Kenny loved his boy and his wife equally and he'd do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Katjaa hardened herself just thinking about her little Duckie becoming one of those things, she looked to her husband and spoke in an almost pleading manner "We can't let anything happen to Duckie", they stared into each other's, they were on the same page, Kenny's thoughts were clouded by what happened at Hershel's farm, but he dully nodded his head and responded "I know, Hon". When Katjaa looked away, his head and shoulders hung low, slumping even as he wondered 'Duck was almost bitten, Christ!, was that a warning for not saving that boy?' Kenny figured he should talk to Lee about it later, Kenny and Lee were pretty much friends, considering what Lee did to save Duck, plus Lee was trustworthy, and a good enough man to have by his side.

* * *

Lee decided it was best to learn more about the kid who put his neck on the line to get them someplace safe, he didn't have to, but it was a good thing he did. Lee approached just as the kid had finished reloading shells into his shotgun, then placing the strap over his shoulder, with the shotgun resting against his back. The kid looked up at Lee with a plain expression; he was a bit uneasy around these new people despite that they seemed to be decent people.

The kid stood up from his seat, slightly shorter than Lee he was, the kid decided to speak first "Rallying through the streets like that wasn't a part of my scheduling today but I'm glad we all made it safely" Lee found himself crossing his arms, no response, Lee just looked at him with suspicion in his eyes, the kid realised this and sighed a fresh breath of air, stuttering as he added "I-I-I'm sorry about what happened in the alley I-I ran out of shells and I had none left and-" Lee cut the kid off "Hey, don't worry about it, if you hadn't showed up we'd probably be dead right now".

The kid shook his head, understanding that the man was trying to reassure him, he pushed his glasses back up higher on his nose "I'm just glad I was able to help, Macon has been going to hell these last few days and I had doubts that I'd ever see a living breathing person that didn't have blood dripping from the lips" he gave off a light chuckle. The kid was maintaining a level head about it all but Lee could detect the hurt in his eyes, like he's seen as much messed up shit as he has. Lee shook his head, understanding what he meant "Yeah I know, I felt the same way".

The kid was glad to hear he wasn't the only one who initially doubted his chances of finding other survivors, when he found his way into Clementine's backyard, he felt the exact same, like there was no one left in the world. Lee looked back over his shoulder, Clementine and Duck were talking, Clem was smiling at whatever they were talking about, Lee formed a smile seeing her smiling was truly special to him, he cherished every moment she was able to smile.

The kid wasn't always very bright around new people, regardless of the kind of person they were, but Lee wasn't a hard book to read, he would protect the little girl no matter what, he'd do his best to keep people safe and he was a friendly man, but despite all these factors, the kid knew that Lee and Clementine were not related, it was pretty obvious "I know she's not your daughter but you're doing a great job as a caretaker", the kid complimented.

Lee let out a small chuckle "Is it that obvious?" the kid returned a smile and replied with a hint of nervousness, shrugging his shoulders to two occasions "Well she's… and your… you know". It wasn't set in stone, but Lee got the gist of what he was trying to say, he was slightly irritated, and to a minor extent offended "Are you saying what I think you're saying?". The kid put his hands in front of himself, like a stopping symbol, nervous; wanting to defuse the small fire he started in Lee "Sorry, I-I-I didn't mean to offend you".

Lee wasn't really affected, the kid reminded him of Kenny, and it sounded like something he would say, although he couldn't say that for sure, they only met that same day. Lee reassured the kid, casually responding "It's fine", the kid took a breath of fresh air, calm knowing that Lee wasn't offended, not that he intended to offend him in first place, he was struggling to keep his head on straight right now.

There was a weird sensation aching in his stomach, like a message being sent to his brain, maybe he was hungry, regardless it was more a signal to do a double check through the window, make sure no Walkers had breached the Motor Inn's defences.

"Are you OK?" Lee suddenly interrupted his train of thoughts, Lee noticed a bit of concern in his eyes, it caught his attention quickly "Yeah, I'm OK, just gotta check on what's happening out there, make sure no stragglers breached the wall". The kid went back to the window, shifting the curtains to the right, Lee decided to take a look as well, looking over the kid's shoulder, there was no movement outside, but there would be soon, it was close to nightfall.

When the kid said he was going to check for Walkers through the window, Carly, Kenny and Doug simultaneously perked their heads. Carley had sat down on the second chair near the table, Doug was still comfortably seated on the bed, soft sheets and bed springs made for a comfy spot to rest, and Kenny was eager to go outside and clear his head, his thoughts were a cluster of guilt ridden memories and depressive thoughts, fresh air would do them all good.

"Looks pretty quiet out there" Lee's words brought relief to the group, it wasn't wasn't exactly ideal to be cramped together in a small room. Doug was keen to check out the infrastructure of the wall, Carley wanted to stretch her body outside, Kenny just needed some air and some space, Katjaa would respect that and she could keep an eye on Duck and Clementine, she was good with kids, Katjaa often treated kittens, puppies, birds and hamsters owned by young children, it was one of the highlights of being a vet, and she enjoyed it.

"You're right, we can all head outside now" Carley was the first to make her way to Lee and the kid, hearing that they could go outside was music to her ears. She stopped closest to Lee, placed both hands on her hip as she responded "Good I could use some fresh air", another voice came from behind Carley "That makes two of us" Kenny replied with an unreadable facial expression that made Carley a bit suspicious of the man, but given that he was a family man, she figured he was trustworthy enough.

The kid figured since they weren't going anywhere, and the Motel was built like an armed fortress, albeit a poorly structured walled up fortress, it does keep Walkers out, he thought they should learn the layout of the motel, most of it "Well I guess I should give you all a bit of a tour then" he spoke with a slight smile and a bit of a chuckle in his voice.

Lee was grateful for the kids hospitality, he saves Duck, brings them all to his safe haven, shares his food and supplies with them, Clementine was safe, and now it seemed like he was welcoming them to stay, he didn't want to get his hopes up, that and he was still slightly suspicious as to how he managed to fortify this place or where he retrieved all this food.

Lee smiled, leaning himself a little bit forward "We appreciate everything you've done to help us", Lee felt a small hand squeeze into his, he looked to see it was Clementine, gazing up at him with a look of happiness glinting in her eyes, and heartfelt smile on her face, he returned the gesture, before looking back to the kid nodding his head, gratified by the praise he received from the man.

The kid liked this man known as Lee, he had his back in the streets, taking down two walkers before they got to him, then again the kid believed all of them were decent people who did what they can to keep each over alive. He remembered a string of events back on the street; the hillbilly saved this Lee fellow, the reporter um… Carley? Yeah she saved the hillbilly's wife, and that dorky guy Doug apparently saved the reporter at one stage and Lee protected that little girl, and almost got bit, the kid had very little doubt about these people, they seemed trustworthy enough so he would give them the benefit of the doubt.

The kid smiled rather sheepishly as he looked at the group, Katjaa and her son were still at the back at the room he decided it was best to check on them later but for now he had to give them the lay of the Motor Inn "Your welcome, by the way, my names Gus, Gus Jacob" the kid known as Gus replied with a quick hand gesture.

Lee, Clementine, Carley and Doug returned the smile, Lee introduced himself "I'm Lee, this is Clementine" looking down at Clem who stood there nervous about how Gus looked at her. Gus smiled, bending down to her height and replied "It's very nice to meet you Clementine, I'm Gus".

Clementine was shrinking away behind Lee, nervous but she managed to softly "H-Hi" Gus didn't mind her shy mannerism, most kids are shy about new people, he knows that for a fact. Lee realised she was nervous but he didn't believe she needed to "Its OK Clem, he seems friendly". There was gratitude in Gus's eyes as he stood up and exclaimed "Well we should get this tour underway".

The group was obviously eager to go outside, safely for once, Carley reached to the door first, opening and exiting the room to be greeted by a gentle warm breeze, Lee and Clementine followed right behind her equally as happy to feel that warm breeze. Doug followed then Duck and then his parents, Gus was waited for Kenny and Katjaa to exit but the lady stopped in her tracks as did Kenny and the both looked at the young man known as Gus, they looked worn out and scared, a very normal thing these days.

"Thank you for saving our Duckie" Katjaa spoke with gratitude in her voice, Kenny nodded his head swiftly and replied "Yeah we appreciate what did for our boy", and Gus formed a smile, nodding his head and softly responded "You're welcome".

After Gus was thanked by Kenny and Katjaa, Gus squeezed past the group members who were waiting just outside the room, they all looked down where the RV was parked in the parking lot horizontally taking up three parking spaces, and it was mostly white with five yellow strips along the side. The RV had blue coloured sails used as a shading area, there were four windows on each side, blinds were placed from the inside, and atop the roof of the RV was a foldout camping chair used to keep watch presumably. There was also two other foldout camping chairs on one side of RV, where the door was but it was facing the wall, why two? Was Lee's question he had in his head.

Gus walked ahead, heading down the stairs with Carley close behind, Lee and Kenny had taken note that each had its own number; the room they were hauled up in was an unknown room, no number, second floor of the building.

Anyway Gus lead them all over to the RV, he stopped, turned around identifying the sceptical look on some faces like Kenny, Carley and Lee "This RV was here when I first got here, sadly I don't know much about vehicles, the engine appears to be busted".

Kenny was quick to respond "Give me a flathead and I'll get her running". Gus was glad to hear that "Awesome, there's a toolbox over there, it should have the necessary tools you need". Kenny nodded understandingly and replied "If this place gets overrun we'll need a quick exit" and Gus replied "Yeah that's why I've been trying to get this thing moving".

Kenny was happy to do something constructive, something to keep his mind off of what happened back at the farm "I'll get to work then" Kenny replied passing Gus, browsing through the red toolbox that was resting on the ground in front of the RV, he pulled out a screwdriver and a flathead and immediately started tampering with the radiator or the engine or whatever he was doing, Gus didn't have a clue.

Doug knew the best way to get it started was to give the radiator a good whack with a wrench or something, but Kenny was already at work but he might point it out later.

Lee realised that Kenny had some understanding on how to fix these things; he seemed to know what he was doing back on Hershel's farm with his pickup truck.

Carley had a question pressing on her mind, two questions actually; how was Gus able to build the wall and where did he get all that food?, she gave him a suspicious look, thinking he might be up to something, but Gus seemed like a good kid, he risk his life to help everyone back at the drugstore, she was about to ask her question but Gus cut off from saying anything.

"Inside the RV we have more food and drinks a-a-and some additional firepower such as three hunting rifles and a couple of handguns, just in case I ever come across bandits" he explained, turning around to go inside the RV but Lee responded questionably "Bandits?".

Gus turned around with a look of confusion but he quickly turned back and explained "Yeah Walkers aren't the only threat that Macon's had, when all hell broke loose, people started to commit all kinds of unspeakable things, bandits rolled in, took anything they wanted by force, they… they murdered people… good people".

The look on Gus's face was enough to realise just how bad things were for him, he screwed his face up trying to get the words out. Carley felt sorry for the poor kid who's obviously seen more shit than she has, she looked up at Gus with sympathetic eyes. Kenny raised his head with a look of pity for the kid; he digested this information before he got back to fixing this RV. Lee was the most sympathetic, his eyes were sloped, he bit down on his lip, looking at Gus before responding "Sorry".

Gus nodded his head and added "When all the chaos started I left Macon to find survivors, I didn't last long, I came back and settled into the Motor Inn, its kept me safe for the last week, the only place that didn't get looted by bandits was the drugstore, because as you all saw, Walkers own that part of town".

Lee's eyes widened when Gus mentioned the drugstore, what happened to his parents? Was his first thought, his shocked expression didn't go unnoticed by Gus or Carley, "Hey Lee you OK?". Lee tried to hide his fears, not wanting anyone to know who he was and he especially didn't want Clementine to be concerned, but she was, she was gazing up at Lee as he replied "Yeah" but she could tell he looked sad. Carley looked concerned for Lee as he looked pretty sad, Gus realised what it could be "Did you… know the people who owned the drugstore?".

Everyone looked at Lee curiously, even Kenny perked his head up, and looking at Lee's facial expression was enough to confirm that statement "Yeah, they were… they were good people".

Gus looks at Lee sympathetically, knowing what happened to them, he didn't want to explain it with Duck and Clementine around but the man deserved to know "I'm sorry… I-I pulled a couple of body's out to make sure they were really… dead". Carley had moved closer to Lee placing her hand on his back, to reassure him, which made Doug very unsteady, he bit his lip at the sight of Carley and Lee… together, he felt worse when she started rubbing her hand against his back, Doug was really jealous right now.

Carley looked up at Gus who had a look of regret planted on his face as he stood in the doorway of the RV and spoke somewhat forcefully "Uh we should keep going on with the tour". Clementine held Lee's hand tighter which made him look down at her forcing a small smile for Clem's sake. Clementine didn't like seeing Lee be sad and neither did Carley, to some degree she trust him because he put his life on the line to help her and Doug and the same goes for Gus.

Carley moved her hand off Lee's back as Gus continued the tour "Uh y-yeah you're right um anyway there's food, ammo and… " Gus went into the RV to grab something, Lee was suspicious, Carley was too, keeping a firm grip on her trusty pistol. Gus came out holding coloured chalk, blue, pink, green, white and yellow "Maybe you kids can draw something colourful these, here you go" Gus smiled as he handed the chalk to Clementine who smiled as he put it in her hands, Duck was standing next to Clem with a bright smile brimming on his face as he added "Awesome!" and Clementine nodded in agreement as she looked back at Gus and said "Thank you".

Gus was touched by how sweet and innocent the little girl was, everyone in the group smiled at Clementine's good hearted nature, Gus replied softly "You're very welcome Clem". Clementine turned around, taking one look at Duck and responding "Come on Duck" almost as happy-go-lucky as he was, and Duck fist pumped the air and shouted "Yeah!" before they both ran off in the direction of the first motor inn block, passing Gus who chuckled in amusement, they chose to set up at the corner of the parking lot.

"I'll keep an eye on them" Katjaa came forth from the back of the group, Gus had no problem with that considering that she was a parent so he expected her to be overprotective even if they seemed pretty safe it was within a mother's duty to worry for her child.

Gus nodded understandingly and as she passed him he said "Go ahead, but if you see anything strange, holler we'll come running" she shook her head and grabbed a camping chair positioning halfway between Kenny and the kids.

Now there was only Lee, Carley and Doug left of Gus's so called 'tour' but then again there really wasn't much to show them that was anything special, Kenny was fixing the RV and Katjaa was watching the kids do chalk drawings on the concrete road.

Gus then pointed past Clementine and Duck to an icebox "There's an ice box over there, where I stored some meat but there isn't much left, I was planning to go hunting but… well a part of me was hoping to find survivors, I've never liked being by myself especially now that monsters roam the streets".

All three of them shook their heads and Carley sarcastically remarked "Yeah they're not exactly appealing", Lee gave her a look of agreement on the matter, giving a light chuckle at the start of his response "That's an understatement", she smiled realising he was making an attempt to tease her.

"If I may ask, how did you managed to build such a well-constructed fortification" Doug brought up, which became a question that Lee and Carley had also wondered. Gus had a look of fear in his eyes, he breathed through his nose, he struggled to strum up a full sentence without nervousness being identified in his voice "Oh um the uh basic structure was already built when I got here, I just added some bits and pieces but it's safe so it doesn't matter".

If that wasn't anything short of suspicious nothing was, Lee and Carley both had narrowed their eyes, even Kenny heard what Gus said and he squinted his eyes in suspicion, Doug was more confused by his tone and why was Gus all of a sudden nervous about a fortification job.

The suspicious look he received made him more nervous but he quickly brushed it off, clearing his throat and responding calmly "However I've been meaning to reinforce the wall some, but I'm no architect, and Walkers don't make things any easier, if you're willing to help me out it shouldn't be too hard" mainly speaking to Doug at this point.

Doug shook his head willing to participate anyway he can to keep this group safe, that and maybe impress Carley to some degree "Sure, reinforcing this wall would be an excellent use of time before it gets dark" smiling at Gus, while eyeing Carley through the corner of his eye.

"Great, we should get to work" Gus responded rather enthusiastically, Doug simply shook his head ready to follow Gus who was about to turn around but he halted in his tracks a spoke aloud to the group "Everybody you can set your stuff in any room you like, Room 9, 6, 5 and 4 have double beds, just as a heads up, but uh room 8 on the other hand is my room and I would uh app-appreciate it if no one goes in there please".

Gus then headed over to the wall with Doug following in his footsteps, ready to work on making the barrier more secure in case Walkers show up, or if the bandits make a move.

Kenny eyed Gus heading for the wall with suspicion lurking through his thoughts, he then turned his sight on Lee and that reporter, before placing the flathead on top of the closed toolbox and making his way to them.

Carley looked at Lee with deep concern, knowing he had a good connection with owners of the Drugstore, which had taken a toll on him when Gus revealed their fate, she spoke in a soft reassuring tone "Are you OK?". Lee gave Carley a curious look, before nodding his head in a dull manner "Yeah, I'm fine" he appreciated Carley's concerns but he didn't really want to talk about it, she understood and got the idea and simply replied "OK".

Carley watched Doug holding up a plank of wood against the wall while Gus was holding nails in place and using a rock as substitute for a hammer to bash the nails through the board. Lee found himself watching them as well, he knew something was up with Gus regarding his response on how he built the wall, and there was something he wasn't telling them.

Carley's narrowing eyes returned to the back of Gus, suspicious "He's hiding something" Lee was taken aback by that statement but he agreed, Kenny made it in time to hear what she said and join the conversation with a stern "Damn right he is".

Kenny was very observant when it came to the safety of his family, and identifying potential threats was something he was good at picking up on, and Gus was ringing some alarm bells. Lee shook his head, acknowledging and agreeing with Carley and Kenny "I think you guys are right but what could he, be hiding?".

Carley placed one arm on her hip, looking over at the two guys reinforcing the wall, then again she actually had her eyes on Doug, he was a useful guy to have around and he was kind of cute. Kenny was glaring in Gus's direction who didn't notice due to his continuing work on the wall, now him and Doug were using big sheets of steel to barricade the wall further, smart in case bandits show up, that and its harder for a Walker to break through.

Kenny shrugged his head in annoyance "He wasn't keen on telling us how he built the damn wall that's for certain" Carley nodded in agreement looking at Lee who also shook his head as well, understanding exactly what Kenny was referring to, Gus had secrets that could potentially put the group and Clementine in jeopardy, they needed a solution.

As if on cue Carley perked up and responded "He said don't go into Room 8, might be worth investigating, make sure we're safe here". Lee crossed his arms agreeing that they need to absolutely sure this place was safe but he felt like they might be judging Gus too much, invading on his privacy didn't sit well with Lee, Gus appears to be a good enough kid "I don't know if that's a good idea, he seems OK to me".

Kenny was slightly irritated by Lee's good nature showing up right now, Lee's a good man, that's how Kenny has viewed him as since Hershel's farm but he wasn't about to trust this kid especially if he has something to hide, something about this put him on edge "That kid seems shiftier than a weasel on Thanksgiving if you ask me" pointing in Gus's direction.

Lee was making sure to think ahead, and what the repercussions would be if it turns out they are wrong, Lee knew Kenny was looking out for his wife and son but he didn't want to ruin their chances of having a safe place for the kids, Lee was also concerned about taking advantage of Gus's hospitality and then sticking his nose in his business, it wasn't right "We can't go snooping around; he might decide to make us leave".

Kenny was determined to make sure that never happens, he has high doubts that Gus would throw them out; he won't stand a chance by himself. Kenny scoffed at Lee's statement, tilting his head up then responding in an overconfident and somewhat aggressive tone "Fuck those odds, he's outnumbered, that and he won't last long on his own".

Carley was stuck in the middle, looking back and forth between Lee and Kenny, feeling like it was getting out of hand between Lee and Kenny, she didn't distrust Gus as he practically almost died trying to help them, she just wanted to be sure they weren't in an any danger "We just need to be sure we can trust him".

Carley felt that Lee was making a good point; she didn't enjoy the thought of snooping around on other people's business, despite being a reporter, she was an honest reporter, she digs up information the polite way; by asking, but their lives were at stake, and if Gus turns out to be a liability or a threat then they needed to know one way or the other.

Lee was trying to explain to Kenny that betraying Gus's trust by sneaking around wasn't the right thing to do "He saved our asses back there when he could've left us to die, besides what if he's not hiding anything?". Carley looked at Lee, knowing he could be right, she shook her head when he looked in her direction, she supported his theory, to some degree.

Kenny would've gotten angry at Lee if he didn't consider him a good friend, but he did consider Lee to be his friend, plus Kenny realised that Lee was simply being precautious for the groups sake "Lee I'm not advocating anything but we need to be sure this place is safe for the kids, if he has some dangerous secrets, we need to know em, we put the kids in harm's way we don't get any second chances, you know that right?".

Lee knew it was wrong but compared to what he did to the state senator, it barely mattered, Kenny was right, he didn't want to put Clementine or Duck or Carley or anyone in a dangerous position, he would do anything to protect them, maybe a quick peek in Room 8 wouldn't do too much harm "Yeah, you're right, so what do you guys suppose we do?".

Carley already had a pretty solid idea of what they should do, the easiest and safest way to find out if Gus was hiding something. Carley placed both hands on her hip, and explained her idea to both Lee and Kenny, but more so Lee as she decided it would better to have Lee a calm and collective man over Kenny who was way too stubborn. "Searching his room would be a great place to start, if you find anything suspicious then we'll go from there, let me know when you want to investigate, I'm very thorough" Carley planted a smile at the end of the sentence, looking in Lee's direction.

Kenny liked that idea, giving a quick nod to the plan and responded "Sounds like a plan but make it quick while he's distracted with that wall, I'm gonna get that RV working". Kenny turned around, looking at the RV and walked back to it, wanting to get that bitch moving in case things go south.

Lee and Carley looked at each other, knowing what needed to be done, Carley didn't like the idea but neither did Lee, Kenny was right about not getting second chances if they put Clem and Duck in harm's way.

Carley decided it was best if Lee know how she felt about the matter, and tell him it's necessary "Lee I agree it's wrong but we need to know if he is hiding something", Lee shook his head, understanding that she wasn't wrapped in the idea either, Kenny on the other hand couldn't care less about this kid's privacy, he was more focused on his family, he understood Kenny's position as a family man but that doesn't make it any less right.

"I know we do, just doesn't feel right but I need to keep Clementine safe" Lee responded with general concern in his voice, and his arms crossed trying to process his thoughts. Lee appreciated Carley's support despite knowing each other for half an hour, he felt she was a nice person, at least she was thinking about negative outcomes of snooping around.

Carley looked up at Lee with a serious expression and replied "Come talk to me when you're ready for the moment of truth" Lee shook his head, acknowledging what to do once he was ready, knowing full well that he wanted to get it over and done with.

Carley gave Lee a reassuring look in her eyes, before walking over to the door, she looked to her right, Gus was still working with Doug, holding the steel sheet while Doug bashed nails through it, not exactly safe but Lee doubted there was a welder around here. Carley stood a good two meters away from Gus's door, not wanting to arouse any suspicion, leaning against the wall looking to Lee waiting for him.

Lee would have offered to do it now but he looked over at Kenny and Katjaa, he hadn't properly checked on how they were coping, especially after what happened this morning and what happened to Duck by the Drugstore. Kenny hadn't spoken much to Lee or Katjaa since the farm, Lee was worried for the man's condition and how Katjaa was holding up, he noticed her looking back at Duck and Clem every minute, drawing on the concrete.

This matter of snooping around could wait; he needed to check up on Kenny and his wife, Kenny was obviously holding back on what happened with Hershel's son; Shawn, and Katjaa was more concerned with Duck's safety. Hershel's advice was strongly evident in Kenny, who saved his son over Shawn, he couldn't blame Kenny, if it was Shawn or Clementine he would have saved Clem before Shawn but he'd go back for him, Kenny was a good man, he'd do what any family man would have done.

Kenny had gone back to fixing the RV just as he said he would, Katjaa was keeping an eye on him too, Kenny was working hard to get this rolling heap of metal working, guarding against the worst possible scenarios that either involve Walkers or Gus throwing them out on their asses. Lee slowly walked over to Kenny, and Katjaa who had shifted her chair earlier to be closer to Kenny while keeping eye on the kids.

Kenny tilted his head to the side, seeing walking toward him, he smiled at the man, the man who chose to save his son over someone else's, not that it made him feel any better. Kenny brushed off his guilt for the moment as responded to Lee's presence "Hey Lee" happy to see the man, Lee was glad to see Kenny in a good mood as he didn't appear to be ever since he got suspicious over Gus having possible secrets.

Nevertheless Lee responded in a polite manner with a smile "Hey there guys" Kenny had almost forgotten his wife was right near him, she hadn't said a word. Lee looked over at Clementine who drawing what looked like a big yellow circle while Duck watched while raving on about something called 'Super Dinosaur' imitating dinosaur roars and shouting "Oh man" and then imitating laser fire? While pretending to hold an imaginary gun? He was lost on the topic.

Kenny was ready to listen, while he kept working on the RV, Lee could see Duck was OK but given what he's been through, maybe he wasn't OK mentally, he was concerned for Duck's wellbeing.

"How Duck doing?" Katjaa looked back at Duck and she, Kenny and Lee could faintly hear Duck "It would be so cool to have a super dinosaur, he'd fly and fight other dinosaurs oh yeah he'd be friends with Batman, they'd work together and…".

Katjaa and Kenny smiled "He seems OK" Katjaa responded with a hint of uncertainty in her voice, Duck certainly seemed OK but Katjaa couldn't help but worry about him

Kenny decided to stop working on the RV for a bit and voice his thoughts and opinions "We're lucky as hell no one got nabbed on the way here", he used hand gestures as he spoke. Kenny was right about that, Clementine and Duck; both almost got hurt by those things Gus calls walkers.

Lee nodded, agreeing with Kenny "No kidding, if Gus hadn't shown up when he did, who knows what would have happened". Lee knew Kenny didn't have much trust in Gus at the moment, but he could at least give him the benefit of the doubt for saving Duck from that thing.

"I know but the sooner we know he's got nothing to hide, the better" Kenny realised what Lee was trying to do, if Gus has nothing to hide then he will be in his debt, but if he has secrets that could potentially endanger his family then who knows? He was grateful for what Lee did back at the farm and he was thankful that Gus saved Duck but his family was too important to risk on trusting an edgy character like Gus with something to hide.

"How's she doing?" Katjaa asked out of the blue, looking over at Clementine drawing on concrete with yellow chalk, Lee wasn't entirely sure, she hasn't said much since he gave her those cheese and crackers.

Clementine seemed happy for the moment, but she's probably worried about her parents, how could she not? Lee figured he'd give her some time to herself and have fun, and talk to her later "She's good, I think" Katjaa wasn't convinced, judging from her concerned expression at least.

Kenny however wasn't so easily concerned, remembering what Lee has told him "She's a tough one right there" he discreetly pointed at Clementine, Katjaa wasn't as convinced, but then again Lee didn't say very much to Katjaa back at the farm since Clem was there.

"She's just a little girl, Ken" Katjaa explained to her husband, she was very concerned about that little girl, considering what Lee did to protect Duck it was the least she could do, worry for Clementine that is.

Kenny simply shrugged his shoulders, hardly phased by his wife statement, turning to Lee and pointing out "What were you saying Lee? She spent days surviving on her own?". Lee figured he was trying to make his case so he simply responded "That's right".

Katjaa was taken aback by this new piece of information about the little girl, Lee had obviously rescued from certain death, Kenny looked to his wife who seemed a little bit stunned as he was when Lee told him "Not just any little girl can do that".

Lee shook his head, agreeing, Clementine was smart to hide in that tree house and brave to come to his aid with that hammer when he was attacked by her babysitter but still, Katjaa was right about Clem being just a little girl, and the shit she might and already has seen could very much mess her up, he would do his best to make sure she wasn't exposed to the unspeakable shit that lurks at every turn.

Kenny was beside Katjaa who was still seated while Kenny stood at her side, Lee had noticed how off Kenny has been acting, probably feeling bad regarding what happened to Shawn, Katjaa was most likely carrying that weight too, Lee was worried for these two parents who obviously have a lot of concerns right now "Are you guys alright?" Lee asked with general concern.

"We're just fine, considering" Kenny smiled at Lee for his concerns, Kenny wasn't telling him something, he knew it but decided to drop it for the meantime as Katjaa added with a pained expression "We've all been through a lot" Lee shook his head understandingly.

Kenny looked at Lee and remembered how he gave Duck some food, he forgot to thank him for it "Hey Lee" he started, Lee looked to Kenny who continued "thanks for feeding my boy before, he gets impatient when he's hungry" Lee smiled at the fisherman, shrugging his shoulders, he didn't need to be thanked he thought but he appreciated it "No problem Kenny".

Lee was thinking what would happen after they sort out this 'mumbo jumbo' about Gus, or at least what Kenny believed they should do, personally Lee wouldn't mind staying here at the Motor Inn, it was safe, plus if he gets the chance he'd like to go back to the drugstore… and figure out what happened to his parents and his brother.

Lee didn't want to think about finding his family as those things; he turned his thoughts on what to do next "What's the plan?" Lee asked knowing Kenny would have a reasonable idea, although honestly Kenny didn't have much to go on.

Kenny responded with uncertainty "Hang tight for now, seems pretty dangerous out there, but if we can trust this guy it might be worth staying, this place is hauled up tight, not exactly Fort Knox but it'll do, we'll cross that bridge later". Lee agreed, this place was pretty secured and with Gus and Doug already working to make it better, they would manage for a while unless invading Gus's privacy was enough to get them kicked out.

Lee's train of thought was suddenly cut off by Katjaa asking "You said your family was from here in Macon?" Lee wasn't too keen on the subject but as his closest friends, never had that many friends, he figured Kenny and Katjaa deserved to know "That's right".

"Where are they? Should we go looking for them?" Katjaa asked, willing to help Lee find his parents as thanks for saving Duck, Lee appreciated how enthusiastic she was about finding but based on what Gus had told him, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Lee looked over his shoulder to see Gus having a chat with Doug, before a saddened frown appeared on his face, eyes sloped and mouth frowned, just thinking about it made it worse, the Everett family was a great family, he was the lesser of the family, he wished he had time to mend his mistakes but it was too late.

"They owned that Drugstore, Gus said he found a couple of bodies…they're gone" Katjaa moved her hand close to her lips, shocked, saddened and concerned for the man, feeling bad for bringing it up, she wished she hadn't now "Oh sweetie" she replied sympathetically and Kenny intervened not wanting his wife to say anything more to upset Lee "Kat".

"They were good people. I wasn't around much but yeah, they're dead" his voice filled with regret and eyes foreshadowing sadness.

Kenny looked at Lee for a second, unsure of whether he should talk to him about what happened earlier, but considering that Lee has been in good terms with him since the start and he's proved to be supportive when others need him to be, so he decided to talk to him about his mistakes "Lee you got a second?".

Lee wasn't sure what to expect from a conversation with Kenny but judging from the hurt in Kenny's eyes he had an idea "Sure" he walked to the side of the RV by the door, Kenny followed close behind, head slumped, and eyes sloped. Katjaa watched as her husband and Lee walked away, slightly concerned but whatever was wrong with Kenny, Lee would help him. Carley was leaning side on the hotel wall, waiting for Lee to get the their little 'stake out' underway, but she watched as the fisherman Kenny, followed Lee, he didn't look good, she ran her hand through her hair, as she watched Lee console him, at least that's what it looked like to her.

Carley was curious as to what Lee and Kenny's story was, did they know each other before the shit hit the fan?, doubtfully but if they had only just met, then they got along quite well, her mind was funnelling through theories and possibilities not so much on Kenny but Lee… what kind of person is Lee? She wondered.

"Back on Hershel's farm…" Kenny started in a low regretful tone, Lee was worried, did he blame himself? "Yeah?" he asked, questionably with concern in his voice.

"I didn't even try to save him, that blood is on my hands, you know?" Lee shook his head to the side, it wasn't his fault, he needed Kenny to realise that "It happened pretty fast Kenny". Kenny gave him a depressed nod knowing it was true but he wasn't sure he could live with it "I guess, but I can't stop seeing him in my head".

It was a hard choice to make, but Kenny had to save Duck, he is his son, Lee knew he couldn't have asked Kenny to leave his boy, Lee felt responsible for what happened to Shawn, he was unable to save him but tried to convince Kenny "You can't kill yourself over it".

Kenny gritted his teeth, angrily responding "I killed that boy. I could've helped you save him" his expression softened, regretting never making the right call to save Shawn, after saving Duck, he just panicked.

Lee considered Kenny a good man, he did what any father would have done, Lee looked at Kenny with reassuring eyes and explained "You did what you could, a bad thing happened, you didn't make a decision that killed Shawn. You think you do, when you look back on it, but in the moment. When things are really out of control, you don't have any choice".

Kenny felt somewhat better, not entirely convinced, and fearing his actions may come back and bite him in the ass "I guess" he replied with minimal effort "Try to let it go" Lee replied with sympathy Kenny stared back silently and blankly, before he gave a slight nod of his head, understanding.

Kenny figured maybe it was time to find out what Gus might be hiding in that Room 8, it would take his mind off of the shit he was dealing with "You... You wanna scope out that room, now?". Lee didn't want to, no but he would for Clem and Duck's safety.

Lee shook his head, remaining silent as he turned to see the door of room 8, Carley standing off to the side, Lee walked toward the door, and Kenny slowly followed him.

When Carley saw Lee and Kenny approaching she moved herself from her position against the wall, she headed to the door as well, Carley looked at Kenny then at Lee with curious look, while pulling out her handgun, a Glock 17, holding it up to her face, pointing skyward and asked in a soft and sensitive manner "Are you guys ready?".

Lee looked back at Kenny who shook his head, confirming that he was, then they each looked in the direction of Gus and Doug with their backs to them "Yeah" Lee responded, Carley was temporarily transfixed by Doug until she heard Lee's voice.

They turned back to the door, Lee was in the centre, Kenny on the left and Carley, each gazing at the door, no one did anything but Kenny looked at Lee and asked "Hey Lee you know how to pick a lock, right?"

Lee was slightly offended by that statement, screwing up his face and responding "No, no why would you say that?" Carley was the innocent bystander at this point, Kenny realised he had to say it now, he nervously replied "Well you're… you know… urban?" Kenny made an attempt to smile to try to make it sound less, well racist.

"Jesus Kenny" Lee retorted, offended quite a bit, Kenny panicked, trying to spit out a quick apology "Shit, man! I'm from Florida! Crazy shit just comes out of my mouth sometimes. Sorry". While Kenny explained himself to Lee, Carley had reached for the door handle and turned it, Kenny and Lee were having a silent stare off and she spoke to get their attention "Uh the doors unlocked".

Carley removed her hand from the door knob looking at the two men with somewhat embarrassed looks, Lee was the one to break the silence "OK then" Kenny nervously rubbed his neck, both men rather sheepish.

Lee then realises it was time to get serious and focus on the task at hand even if he didn't feel that Gus was hiding something, the kids needed to be safe, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Lee slowly reached for the door handle, placing his hand over, looking to Kenny, who nodded, ready to brace himself, standing in a 'prepared for any fucking thing' position, Lee then looked to Carley with a look of seriousness, her gun at the ready, also ready, given Lee a quick nod. Now or never, Lee looked forward, turning the door handle slowly, until it wouldn't turn anymore, Lee gave the door a light push, the door slowly swung open, it was dark but what light there was came from bits of sunlight through the trees.

It didn't look there was anything, that was until the door was fully open. Lee's serious look turned to pure shock "Good God" his voice weakened and his eyes were widened, mouth ajar, stunned and horrified. Carley was just as stunned "Oh shit" putting her free hand over her mouth, trying to hold back her puke, eyes as wide as Lee's were. Then Kenny saw what it was, making a similar expression as Lee, jaw dropped, eyes widened, shocked, horrified and angry as all hell "What the fuck is this?".

On the floor, a puddle of red, a puddle of blood, lying over the blood bath was a body, a dead lifeless body, face first in the blood in their direction, or what was left of the head, a huge gaping hole in the head. The body laid there, skin pale and dead, the smell was rotten, floor completely drenched with blood, it was likely the work of a murderer.

Carley, Lee and Kenny were stunned by this horrific display of death "You-you shouldn't have looked in there" they turned around with a look of panic, it was Gus.

Gus stood there with a powerful and unmistakable death glare, face shrouded with anger and mystery "I asked you not to" he added in a tone that was almost too calm and it didn't match the anger in his eyes. Gus had this dark presence as he walked straight towards them, Carley was about to hold up her gun but Lee figured she would, using his hand he covered the gun letting Carley know not to use it.

Lee moved to the side, Carley did so as well, allowing Gus to pass, going for the door. Carley was pretty frightened by whatever was happening, Gus had darkness in him, she saw it, Lee wasn't sure what to think, he was startled, confused, concerned and now afraid, afraid by what would happen next.

Kenny couldn't believe this, there was a dead body in this guy's room and Lee just let him pass? Kenny had his eyes narrowed, a snarl bearing from his teeth and a surge of anger and Gus to take it out on. "You mind telling us why the actual fuck you've got a dead thing in here?" he retorted, keeping his eyes on the kid who passed him. Gus showed no reaction, he simply pulled the door shut, not turning around to face them, and he mumbled something to himself that could be heard "I said please stay out… that's all I asked".

Lee and Carley were thinking the same thing, was there pain in Gus's words, he placed one hand on the door while staring into space but Kenny was more concerned with the corpse clearly existing in the kid's room "Why would you keep a goddamn body in here?!". Everyone could hear the commotion, Doug, Clementine, Katjaa and Duck approached cautiously to the scene that Kenny had instigated. Clementine and Duck remained close to Katjaa who was clearly concerned by what was happening, not knowing what Kenny was so uptight about, keeping herself and the kids a few feet away, Doug kept himself back as well.

"A simple please wasn't enough?" Gus once again mumbled under his breath, angered by these people ignoring his request, with the father throwing accusations his way only making it worse.

Kenny was fed up from not receiving an answer, pulling the gun out from his back pocket, holding it on Gus "You better talk before I waste a bullet" Kenny threatened. Katjaa was scared by Kenny's sudden move, she placed her hand over her son's eyes, not wanting him to witness a gruesome if it should come to that.

Doug's face turned to panic, holding up his hands slightly above his waist, bracing himself, terrified by what might happen next.

Lee realised this was getting out of hand, Lee knew he had to get Kenny to back off "Kenny, calm down, let's hear him out". Kenny looked at Lee in disbelief, frustrated by his lack of support, his mind was set on what Gus has done "Hear him out?" he scoffed "Fuck that, he's gonna murder us like that poor bastard he's got in there".

Clementine was scared, not understanding quite what the man meant, Lee was glad Clem didn't see the body but Kenny was pushing things too far, Gus deserved to explain himself, maybe it was a walker that he had killed and meant to dispose of the body.

Kenny's harsh accusations were infuriating Gus, he slowly turned around with a look of pure rage on his face, the darkness evident on his face like Carley thought, he responded in a low voice, not wanting to scare the kids "I save your boy's life… I put a gun in your hand and this… this is how you thank me? By sticking your nose where it don't belong?".

Kenny and Gus glared at one another, both scared, breathing hard breaths, Carley watched as Lee intervened, his expression soft and concerned as he looked at the kid, clearly agitated until he heard Lee's voice "Gus, why?".

Gus panicked, he didn't want to say anything, he looked at the faces of everyone, they were judging him, he thought, it only made him more afraid to reveal the truth, Lee would understand maybe but he wasn't sure about everyone else. Gus shifted his position by nervously trembling, put on the spot and scared, placing a hand over his face, his thumb resting on his cheek and two fingers touching his forehead, stressed and unable to sum up a coherent sentence "I-Its… its… no… I don't… don't want to talk"

Kenny was fed up with the kid's ramblings, gritting his teeth before shouting "Why the fuck do you keep a dead corpse in this room?!" Kenny's voice pierced through Gus's head, echoing, triggering every emotion that he had been holding back all day to just come out, tears filled his eyes.

"HE WAS MY BEST FRIEND!" Gus shouted at the top of his lungs.

The look of shock and horror filled the eyes of everyone, Carley and Lee were awestruck and Kenny… his face was filled with guilt, he had no idea, none of them did. There was a solid moment of pity for the kid, his vision swimming with tears, feeling the weight of sorrow pulling him down. Kenny just stared at the kid, the pressure of guilt weighing heavily upon him, eyes filled with regret; his jaw was ajar, lowering his gun.

Gus stared into space, slightly backing away until his back rested on the door, he slid to the ground, tears streaming down his face, he rested his head in his knee's quietly sobbing.

Lee looked to Kenny thinking 'Are you happy?' Kenny knew what Lee would've been thinking, he got Lee's message from the look in his eyes, he felt that guilt return, he didn't save Shawn and now he had hurt another kid, he felt like a piece of shit.

Gus just cried into his arms and knee's, he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder; he looked through the corner of his eye to see it was the reporter, Carley. She was crouched beside him showing great concern, her hand gently rubbed against his back, doing her best to reassure him but he continued to tear up. Gus slowly lifted his head to see the baffling and concerned looks he was given, he took off his glasses and wiped away some tears with his sleeve.

"He was my… my best friend" he explained, sniffling on occasion, trying his best to look at them while he talked about his heart wrenching events "I found him a Walker this morning" he added, Carley continued to reassure him, rubbing his back, like she was consoling a younger brother or something, but she didn't like to see him so depressed, it made it all the more hopeless.

Kenny's jaw remained opened, eyes filled with regret, looking down at the pained kid, who suddenly looked up at him, tears flooding in his eyes, with a look of rage and sorrow and responded in a weak and stressed voice "Do you know how that feels?".

Honestly he didn't, Kenny felt like looking away but he was frozen in shock of what the Kid's been through.

Gus tried keeping his head at a reasonable height, glancing at each individual person as he spoke "My parents… my friends… everyone… gone… I've lost everything" before he stopped to wipe his eyes again.

Carley looked up to Lee who had the same sympathetic expression as she did, Lee had no idea how much this kid has gone through, most of it by himself 'Poor fucking kid' he thought. Lee felt something hold him; he looked to his right to see Clementine, wrapping her arms around his waist, with her head resting against him. This story was almost identical to Clem's except her parents might still be alive, Lee did the first thing that came to mind and gently stroked Clementine's back, doing what he could to make her feel better.

Gus struggled to get the next words out of his mouth, talking about it was forced, but he obviously needed to confess what he's gone through, and get it all off his chest "My brother and sister might be out there somewhere… alive? I don't know".

Katjaa had taken her hand away from covering Duck's eyes and held him close, Doug crossed his arms while looking down at the ground, Carley still kept her hand on Gus's back, Lee held Clementine close to him and Kenny… he looked down at the kid, apologetically and uttered weakly "I'm sorry".

Lee recognised Kenny's tone, it was how he apologised to Hershel for the death of his step son, Gus looked up at the man, bearing an unreadable facial expression before looking to Lee, Carley and everyone else responding "I didn't… I didn't know he was bitten".

Gus shook his head and started talking almost to himself "Didn't know he was bitten" he shifted his view to Kenny, highlighting how hard it was to the father "I raised a gun on my best friend… my best friend since fifth grade".

Gus's voice was breaking, struggling to get the words out, and dropping his head, staring at the ground "I… I killed him, I was on watch last night… he was asleep… I came in this morning".

Everyone silently gasped at how rough Gus has had it, Carley stopped rubbing his back, shocked as he sniffled and used his sleeve to wipe his eyes then his nose. Carley looked like she was having an internal struggle, she wanted to console the kid but she wasn't sure she was capable given Gus's fragile state.

Carley was about to apologise to him when the caretaker of a little girl bent down, looking at Gus with sympathy, showing great concern in his words "Gus… we're sorry, we never meant to hurt you".

Gus gave a weak nod before looking at the man crouched down before him, Gus knew he was telling the truth, Kenny is a good man too, despite his sharp tongue and strong use of curse words "I… I know, I just don't want to be alone… he was the only person left that I cared about… now I'm all alone" bowing his heading, a few more tears came out.

Carley gave Gus another stroke on his back and responded with sincerity in her voice "We're so sorry" he did not motion, everyone around him shook their heads, they were all sorry, Doug, Katjaa, Duck, Clementine, Lee, Carley and especially Kenny.

Lee decided to point out to the kid just how much he's done for them, maybe he needed some praise right now to lift his spirits "Gus you saved us today, you could have left us for dead… but you didn't". Gus slowly lifted his head from his slumped position, considering Lee's words before looking at him with his mouth slightly open and stuttered "I-I-I-I didn't want to see anyone else, die… I just wanted to do some good".

Katjaa and Doug already believed he has; as they looked at the kid with accepting eyes as did Carley, Kenny and Lee. Lee was the one to speak directly to Gus and say "You did good, today". Gus was quite modest sometimes but he did save Duck and basically gave them all a safe place to stay, he did do some good today, he shook his head again "I guess" he responded plainly.

"If there's anything we can do to help, you name it" Lee responded, Carley gave Gus a quick nod, Kenny was standing behind Lee and Carley, giving Gus a sympathetic look almost begging for forgiveness for what he did, Clementine was standing beside Lee, hands clenched together with a worried look in her empathetic eyes for Gus who gave her some chalk for colouring.

Gus appreciated Lee's offer, he forgives them all for snooping, even Kenny, he had his family to look out for and it would have had to come out eventually but right now there's only one thing he wanted help with "I… just… I just want to bury my friend; I want him to rest in peace" he spoke in a weak depressing tone.

Everyone slumped their heads, believing it was a noble thing for Gus to want, they understood his reasons, Lee respected Gus's noble request and gave him a swift nod "We can do that" but Gus quickly reacted by retorting "Lee I just want you to help me" giving Lee a serious stare, Lee simply shook his head and calmly responded "OK Gus, OK".

* * *

Lee had just finished burying Gus's friend, and now they were walking back to the Motor Inn. They had taken the body at least a good ten minute walk away from the Motor Inn so they didn't attract attention from the nearby woods. Before they left the Motel, Gus had suggested someone stay on watch atop the RV, Carley was willing to do it, Gus gave her one of the three Hunting he had in case of Walkers, Bandits or other possible threats.

Gus hadn't said a word since they left the Motor Inn, he remained silent on the walk back, even when Lee asked if Lee had any words to say about his fallen friend, all he did was close his eyes tight, obviously too pained to say anything, Lee understood, Gus has gone through some heavy shit today, and who knows what else he's been through.

Lee was concerned by Gus's distant state, Gus was walking in front, Lee was cautious as to how he spoke, choosing to talk in a low volume in a sympathetic tone "Are you OK Gus?". Gus simply turned his head to the left, looking at the man through the corner of his eye "I'm fine" he muttered, Lee was not one bit convinced but he said nothing, there wasn't anything to say that would make him feel better.

Lee kept silent for a short minute before asking "If you uh need to talk", Gus didn't say anything, but then he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, Lee came to a stop as well, not sure what to expect. Lee was a little startled by his sudden halt, Gus slowly turned around, his face was unreadable but he seem calm, Gus stared directly at Lee, he looked like he was trying to say something but no words came out, he breathed in some air .

Eventually Gus formed a coherent sentence "I… I just want to say thank you", Lee wasn't sure what he was being thanked for but he accepted it but telling him "You don't have thank me Gus".

Gus was facing internal conflict, looking down, then back at Lee and after a bit of solid thinking he responded "No I do, I mean I know it wasn't your decision to go into my friend's room but I-I understand why you and Kenny were suspicious about me, I mean you had the safety of these kids to think about".

Lee shook his head, agreeing that he had to be a parent figure for Clementine now; keeping her safe was now his duty, his main priority, his job. Gus was slightly nervous, Lee being a stranger to him and all, made it harder for him to speak confidently but he trusted the man, why? 'He seems OK' he pushed his concerns aside and added "I'm guess I'm trying to say that I don't hold any ill will against you guys, I just wanted you to know that".

Lee appreciated Gus's understanding of what happened earlier, considering the kid's honest and welcoming nature, he wished they trusted him from the get go, anyone that sticks there neck for someone they don't know, risking his life like he did, is someone Lee could trust, 'hopefully Kenny sees it that way' he thought.

"I'm glad to hear that, and I'm sorry for the pain we caused" Lee replied with a sympathetic edge in his voice, Gus just smiled, a look of hope surfaced in his eyes, he gave Lee an appreciating nod, before they continued down the road on their way back to the Motor Inn, a safe haven as far as they were concerned.

* * *

Once they returned to the Motor Inn, Doug and Kenny opened the gate, Gus glanced at Kenny as he entered, bearing a look of regret, Gus forgives Kenny, he had his reasons, he gave Kenny a slight nod and whispered to the man "We're cool".

Gus walked to the RV, Carley sitting on a lawn chair with a rifle on her lap, he looked up at the reporter and questioned "Anything unusual while we were" she shook her side to side and responded "Nope, nothing" Gus gave an understanding nod as he replied "Good, good job" she formed a small smile but she was simply putting on a brave face for the kid's sake.

Lee had stopped next to Kenny when he entered; they both closed the gate behind him. Once the gate was closed Lee looked to Kenny who was simply staring into space, Lee knew he was going to say something so he waited patiently for his friend to speak.

"So uh how'd it go" Kenny suddenly questioned, Lee could tell from his facial expression that he was still holding guilt regarding what happened to Shawn and more recently hurting Gus but Lee complied to his question "I don't know, he was quiet… he says he's OK, I'm not sure".

Lee could hear the doubt in his own voice, Gus was in a poor state at the moment, and Kenny shook his head, understanding Lee's uncertainty and he hesitated for a second before making a response to Lee's statement "We'll keep him in check, make sure he ain't do something stupid". Kenny wasn't talking about distrust for Gus but a concern that Gus might do something permanent, Lee agreed "Yeah".

Kenny looked to the sky, Lee copied him, and they both noticed that it was within minutes away from nightfall, it was dark, and soon it'll be darker, the threat of 'walkers' would be far worse at night, Lee realised he did the right thing to leave Clementine's house while it was light out but now they might have to just deal with it and hope for the best, not a comforting thought but they had no other options.

"It's getting dark" Lee said to Kenny, who realised his concerns "Yeah fuck, this place's gotta have a backup generator or some shit in case the power goes out" Kenny retorted, obviously worried about his family's safety that and they'd be wide open if those 'fuckers' break through the wall or something.

Lee nod in agreement, and added "Yeah, you're right" about the generators, hotels usually have backup generators in case of a long term power outage. Lee and Kenny looked to see Gus heading toward them "Me and Katjaa are gonna make dinner if that's OK with you" the question was obviously directed at Kenny, Lee watched Kenny, who might've been slightly uneasy regarding the idea but he owed him and he has done right by them so far.

"Sure thing kid" Kenny replied giving him an approving nod and smile before Lee intervened "Hey Gus has this place got a backup generator?" Gus wasn't sure what Lee was getting at but responded "yeah, why?", Lee continued "It's getting dark, we need light so those things don't get in".

Gus understood now and he meant to do it sooner but now was fine "Don't worry I'll go get it up and running", Carley had climbed down from the RV to figure out what was the commotion all about. As she approached she heard Lee mention getting the Hotels lights on using a backup generator, that doesn't sound like a good idea.

Gus was just turning around when Carley's sudden appearance and voice caused him to immediately halt "Wait won't that make us a target for those ghouls?" she questioned, Lee and Kenny hadn't taken that into account but Carley had a point.

Gus understood her thinking but based on his knowledge and experience that wouldn't be the case "Nah Walkers detect using mainly smell and hearing, they can see light but it's nothing serious, they usually walk past, we've had none break in, so don't worry as long as someone's on watch… we're good".

Gus then left to get the generator up and running, Lee headed over to Clementine who was sitting down on a piled up plank of wood, Lee hadn't checked on her for a while and she's probably struggling enough as it was without her parents.

Clementine had her hand over her other hand, with a slight pained look bearing on her face, she was staring at the ground when Lee bent down in front of her and spoke with a smile "Hey Clementine".

Oddly enough to Lee, Clem didn't look at him and simply said "Hey" her voice was weak, she sounded sad which was enough to grab Lee's full concern, he analysed the possible causes of her sadness but there were numerous things that could be wrong, he asked in a soothing tone "Clem, what's wrong?".

Clementine looked at her hands before slowly taking her top hand of the bottom to reveal a bloody finger "I hurt my finger" she spoke with pain in her voice. Lee was instantly concerned hoping to God it wasn't a 'Walker's' bite, it didn't look like it "Let's have a look" he added softly, he began to inspect her finger covered with blood.

"Ow" Lee retorted, sympathetically as he caroused her finger gently "It hurts" she squeaked through her teeth "We just need to bandage it" he replied in a caring manner "Yes please" she softly added with a cute light smile, she was so sweet and cute at the same time Lee thought.

Lee remembered the ride to Hershel's farm with Shawn and Otis, he had checked the glove box and found a few randomly placed Band-Aids, Shawn said he could take one, good thing he did.

Lee held onto Clem's finger ever so gently while reaching into his pocket with the other, he pulled out the Band-Aid "Let's see if we can do something about that" he said, Clem shook her head and hummed "hmm mmm", as he wrapped the bandage around her finger he asked "How did this happen anyway Clem?" 'Great now I'm talking like Hershel' he thought humorously.

"When I sat here I got a splinter while resting my hand" she explained, Lee was glad she wasn't bitten he thought as he finished the bandaging of her finger "There we go" Lee spoke, Clem had a sweet gratified smile and she answered with a soft "Thank you".

Now that her finger was bandaged she was happy for it, and should heal in a day or two, he decided to check if she needed anything, he kept at knee high level and struggled to talk as mentioned that he hasn't spoken to many younger children other than a nephew or two down his family line.

"You uh need anything?" he asked with general concern for the little girl as she replied "No… Lee?" she asked sweetly which immediately pulled his interest, "Yeah?". Clem was slow to bring up what she wanted to say but eventually her soft words of concern and fear came out "What if my parents come home and I'm not there?".

Whenever Clementine brought up a topic on her parents, his heart would start to race, his fear was upsetting her and if he told her what he heard or that he had doubt, it might hurt her leading to uncertainties. Lee hated to lie to this sweet little girl, she was his moral compass, he needed to keep her happy, but lying was beyond him, he knew a lie when he heard one, some students would lie about not completing homework, that annoyed him, but now he had to lie to Clem so as not to upset her or make her lose hope.

"They'll uhh… track us down… don't worry" Lee explained nervously, pausing for a second to compose in between words, doing his best to stay positive and move on from this topic to avoid any negative comments that might slip out.

Clem shook her head slowly; a more positive Clem smiled as she said "Yeah, OK. We should keep a look-out. I've got my Walkie-Talkie in case they try that way". Lee had forgotten about the Walkie-Talkie strapped to his pants, but at least the Walkie should provide her with something reassuring, something as small as that should keep hope alive that her parents had a means of finding them.

Lee smiled, agreeing with her method and further explained "Stay close to me until then, OK?" she gave him a light nod, she had some obvious concerns about Lee based on how she first met him, seeing him in a wreck, getting inside Clem's home and killing her babysitter Sandra, who she liked a lot.

Clem had more than a few reasons to be cautious, she liked Lee but her parents always said never to trust strangers, but given the circumstances; no one at the Motor Inn had any connections prior to the apocalypse, except Kenny and his family, no one else had any familiar face with them.

Lee thought it was best to clarify this to Clementine; he gave her a partial look of concern and seriousness, trying to be as gentle and understanding as he could as he stated "I know I'm not your dad but if you need anything I'm your guy".

"OK, same" she happily responded, she trusted Lee in most cases, anyone else might have left her in her tree house, not Lee.

Lee made an attempt to tease the little girl "You're my guy?" he made a light chuckle in his voice as he spoke; Clementine was temporarily confused at Lee's tease "What? No I mean…" she paused but Lee understood what she was trying to say "We're gonna try to help each other" and Clem immediately jumped in with that statement "Yes, deal".

Suddenly the Motor Inn's sign lit up, eliminating the darkness that fell upon them, 'Gus must have got the generator working' Lee was thinking. The man stood up to gaze at his surroundings now that he could see better with the place lit up.

"Let there be fuckin light!" Lee heard Kenny say out loud from the front of the RV, still tinkering with engine or whatever parts were broken, he wished Kenny wouldn't curse so much it would set a bad example for the kids, Clementine mostly since Duck was probably older and familiar with his father's foul tongue language.

Gus suddenly appeared coming toward the RV, for the door, Katjaa was inside the RV probably preparing a meal for everyone and Gus was ready to assist. Gus looked at Lee and decided to walk to him "Well we have lights; the generator should last for a week or so".

Lee was glad to hear that, that meant they weren't completely vulnerable to Walkers at least at night in this case; Lee shook his head and formed a light smile and responded "At least those things can't sneak up on us now".

Gus agreed but to a point "Yep as long we got someone on watch at all times we should be good" he then turned his back on Lee, head aiming up to the top of the RV where Doug had planted himself on the lawn chair, the rifle was nowhere in sight, Lee hadn't noticed he was even on watch.

"Hey Doug can you see over the gate?" he asked, Doug did a quick double-check and responded in nerdy type fashion "Yes I have clear visuals beyond the gate, no decaying corpses in sight", Gus gave a light chuckle and added "Good". Gus then turned his attention back to Lee and explained "Well me and Katjaa will something cooked up in no time" Lee simply shook his head and watched as Gus retreated for the RV, he was sceptical regarding Gus's behaviour, was he bottling up his emotions? It seemed very likely but he decided it was best to let Gus deal with it in his own way.

* * *

Dinner consisted of cooked rice mixed with beans, capsicum, corn and carrot with heated canned spaghetti, no one spoke during their meal, too many thoughts rushing through their heads, too much to comprehend, let alone deal with it, some have suffered worse than others but regardless it was still hard to grasp for everyone whether it was Gus, Clementine, Kenny or even Lee.

Everyone has suffered some form of loss; Lee lost his wife, Clementine has missing friend, Gus has lost his best friend and his parents and most likely his brother and sister. Life seemed to have changed in the spam of one week, the dead have risen, walking the earth to eat whatever lived, the military was their only chance, Kenny was sure the military could make it so but until then they were day-to-day surviving.

Gus retreated to his room, room 7 straight after finishing his meal, stating that he needed some time alone to think, no one delayed him from doing so, they were all sympathetic of Gus's loss, he was still just a kid, probably 20-24 years of age.

Lee, Kenny, Carley and Doug had all agreed to watch duty, four hours for each person however Doug established that he'd commit to daytime watches due to lack of firearm expertise, not that it stopped Lee who has never held a gun but knew how they functioned. Kenny has shot ducks before, not that his son knew of this, thankfully, Carley had the most experiences of any one in the group, having to handle it during more 'in-depth' news reports, yes during a war or two, 'nothing fancy' she would say.

Carley agreed to take the first watch followed by Kenny then Lee "We're low on meat, we should do some hunting tomorrow" Gus had mentioned to the group before he left for his room, it was a good idea to keep at a stand-still level of food regardless of how well stocked they were.

Lee, Kenny, Carley and Doug agreed with the set times for watch duty, no one considered Gus for watch duty, he needed time to digest his emotions, unless he felt he was up to it.

Lee was taking a quick peep at his watch, according to his watch it was "8:47" he decided it was time for Clem to get a good night's rest, Kenny and Katjaa were in agreements as well that Duck needed sleep as well. Lee told Clementine it was time for bed, she didn't argue as she seemed tired from all that has happened today, "Room 9, 6, 5 and 4 have double beds" Gus's voice echoed in Lee's head, he figured it was best to sleep in the same room as her, so that she doesn't get scared or feel alone at night when she would need someone to watch over her.

Lee was just glad at the thought of sleeping in a nice warm comfy bed for a change, a sleeping bag or the beds in jail cells weren't very appealing or comfortable in the least. The hotel had very little amounts of clothing stashed inside the drawers of each room, mostly socks and some sweatshirts, no pyjamas, Clementine would have to sleep in the clothes she wore all day, most of them would have to, Kenny and his family were more prepared considering they had just come back from a visit to Katjaa's sister.

As they entered Room 9, Lee noticed light stained blood in the carpet 'something happened here' he thought to himself but Clementine hadn't noticed 'better that way' he believed.

Clementine didn't raise any complaints in fact she was surprisingly quiet as she climbed into the bed furthest from the door, there was a little side table next to the two beds, Clem took of her hat and placed it beside the bedside table as well as her Walkie-Talkie.

Once Clem was comfy, Lee gently pulled the blanket until it covered her from the neck down, Lee noticed an edgy look in the little girls eyes "Clem, what's wrong?". Clementine didn't respond immediately, she held the blanket with hands and looked around the darkened before her scared voice said "It's… its really dark, I don't like it".

Clementine was right, the room was pretty dark even with the Motor Inn sign shining a thin beam of light through the curtain of the window, luckily there was a night lamp sealed to the wall, between the two beds high enough for Lee to reach

"How's that?" Lee inquired, Clem gave him a quick nod and smile as he turned the nob on the lamp adjusting the level of brightness "That's better, thank you". Lee sat at a lounge chair that was in the very corner of back of the room beside Clementine's bed, holding his hands together as he smiled a friendly smile and asked "How's your finger?" wondering if it was feeling better.

Clem turned to her right to look at Lee, she smiled grateful for his care and replied "It's OK, thanks for fixing it" Lee didn't need to say anything he could see that she was happy to see him smile which was enough.

There was a brief silence; Lee had just drifted into a memory or a vision of sorts "What the hell is this?!" his own voice echoed, a white sheet flashed across his field of vision, a silhouette of a man, a woman and another man "Sweetie it's not what it looks like" a female voice echoed with panic evident in the woman's voice, crinkles began form in the white sheet. "I'll kill you motherfucker!" the first male voice cried as the silhouette lunged for the other male silhouette ending with something red that resembled blood poured over the white sheet "NNOOOOOO-".

"Lee, Leeee" Clementine repeated, a worrisome tone in her voice caused Lee to lightly jump at his name, startled only to realise it was Clementine who looked confused at how strange he was just then. Lee's eyes immediately focused on Clem, trying to avoid remembering whatever it was he just saw "What is it Clem?" he asked softly.

Clem arched an eyebrow, squinting her eye in confusion "Are you OK?" she asked sweetly, Lee didn't want to alarm anymore that he already has, providing a gentle nod as he fumbled to string a coherent sentence "Yeah I-I-I-I'm fine, I've just worried about Gus" he blurted the last part, Clem's eyes sloped at the mention of his name "He looks sad".

Lee confirmed her theory with a slow nod, "He's having a tough time, he's lost his family and friends-" Clementine suddenly interrupted "Like me?". Lee was shaken by her response, even if it was more than likely true, she needed to remain positive that her parents were safe and alive, Lee had to handle this gently, and she was just a little girl after all.

"No, I don't think so, but you have to believe it yourself Clem, they would want you to be strong, if not for them, but yourself, don't lose hope Clem, remember that" Lee explained, it was a lot to take in but he knew she was smart enough to get what he was trying to say.

Clementine knew that Lee was right, she wasn't about to give up hope, not yet, a bright smile revealed itself on Clementine's lips as spoke in her soft voice "I won't lose hope, I pinkie swear" holding out her pinkie for Lee, he got the message and gently locked his pinkie with hers "I'll be holding you to this" he chuckled and Clementine joined in shortly after.

Lee decided he should go outside and check on Carley, see how her watch was going, hoping to hear that there were no walkers or bandits or anything unusual, but he has yet to hear any shouting or gunfire so that was a good sign, so far.

Suddenly Clementine's voice paused his train of thought "Lee?" she asked in her typical sweet manner and Lee responded in his soft voice "Yeah?" Clem was sitting up in the bed looking straight at Lee, slightly nervous but curious of something important.

Clem hesitated temporarily; she had a slight quiver in her lip at the thought of what happened earlier when they first arrived in M-Ma-Macon? Yes and Gus was leading them to a safer place "There was that thing in the Alley. It tried to get me".

How could he forget, he had shown great courage and experience a strong level of anger that killed the state senator, to protect Clem "I Know" he shook his head, understandingly but failed to see what she was getting at.

"But you stopped it" she added, he smiled down at her and happily added "Yeah I did" he wouldn't let anything happen to her, she gave him a second chance at redemption, considering his committed sins that was all he could ask for, he isn't a bad guy.

"Can you do that more?" she asked, kill dead people? If he has to he would, but he wasn't keen on getting himself killed, he decided to joke about the fact "Well, I'm not gonna go looking for them" he smirked but Clem seemed to miss the funny bit, looking slightly perplexed as she explained herself better "I mean get the dangerous ones".

The 'dangerous ones' were no different from any other walking dead, it all depends on the person who becomes their feeding target, if you're not careful, you die, if you're reckless, you die, if you leave yourself vulnerable, you die.

Lee made it obvious that he wouldn't let himself, or Clementine, Kenny, Gus, Carley or anyone get bit "I'm going to try" Clem was glad to hear that, knowing Lee would do anything to keep her safe "Good" she smiled.

* * *

Outside the room, while Lee was getting Clementine prepared for bed, Gus was resting against the railing on the second floor, feeling the warm soothing wind on his face, it felt nice, relaxing even, Gus was just reflecting on the events that occurred that morning, his hand pressed up against his forehead, the memory slowly presenting itself.

Gus slowly opening the handle, a gloomy moan edging its way out into the senses, a foul but weak stench wisp through the tunnels that were nostrils, hand lifting, shielding from bacteria, a shadow falling into the room, a hunched friend, trembling. "Yoooouuuuuuu OOOOKKKKKKKKKKK?" the first friend ask, the hunch came to a turn, a familiar face, no longer, drips of blood, bloodshot soulless eyes, grey moulding flesh. A squint, a look of denial, a silent "No" the reincarnation targeted the one that could not comprehend it.

Resisting oneself from accepting this fate of a long-time friend, a storm of tears blurring what could not be reality, the menacing shadow slowly lumbering toward the snivelling soul, instincts force a sudden shove, only to shove it a second time, no longer could he bear it.

Reaching for his weapon of thundering doom, a final look into the non-human creature, a tear filled with immense regret and sadness, a finger forcing itself to condemn this demon shell, fire bursting from the tip of the weapon, a body, rotten and dead, falls, blood soaking the carpet, thundering heart beats, uneasy breathing, this broken soul, losing more than possible, an eruption of tears and cries "I'm sorry Tom, I'm so sorry this happened to you".

* * *

Gus used his sleeve to brush off the tears forming in his brown coloured eyes, mouth slightly quivering "Hey kid" a sudden voice scaring him, Gus looked; It was Kenny, sighing before he said "Hey" back.

Kenny had been meaning to apologise for earlier, it seemed like bad time he knew, but he needed to fix at least one thing today, the guilt was eating at him like piranha's eating flesh. Kenny rested his arms on the railing as he looked at Gus who finished wiping his eyes again, Kenny bit his lip and blurted "I'm sorry" Gus gave him a very emotionless expression and he gave him a very plain and calm response given the timing.

"Don't be, you had your reasons" Kenny wouldn't let Gus take his apology without knowing he truly meant it, Kenny tightened his grip on the railing as he pressed on with his apology "You saved my boy, and I trespassed on your business, I'm sorry".

Gus was quite awed by Kenny's sincere apology, seeing how real the guilt was hanging on him, Gus lightly shook his head, processing his apology but also considering his reason and his 'rock and a hard place situation before stating in a very understanding manner"You were looking out for your family, I… I respect that".

Gus smiled at Kenny, he returned with a relieved smile "but maybe you could do me a favour" Gus proposed whilst resting his elbows on the railing, Kenny was curious, eager and accept whatever his favour was, regardless "Name it kid" he spoke immediately.

Gus pointed at the RV and said "If you get that RV running, you could teach me how to drive it perhaps?" Kenny planted his hand across his forehead, a little annoyed by the favour "Duck will never let me hear the end of this… but deal".

Gus was pleased but not thrilled, not right now, he had too much to think about, despite accepting Kenny apology, he need some time to reflect, time to himself "That'd be great" he pretty much mumbled to himself.

Kenny heard him and understood that he wasn't in a good position at the moment, Kenny felt bad for the kid, losing his family and all, it made him appreciate the value of having his family alive and safe "So you gonna be OK?" he asked clearly concerned.

Gus tried to compose himself but in no manner did he bother; he was weak, he knew that, his best friend, it wasn't easy plus he hasn't had enough time to mourn his family, he needed that "I'm trying to be, but the pain doesn't go overnight I just… I just need time" Kenny simply shook his head, understanding as Gus stared at the hillbilly, before resuming staring into space. Kenny went to check on Katjaa and Duck, shortly after Gus decided to head to his room as well, to think.

* * *

Carley was standing up, on top of the RV, having relieved Doug of watch almost an hour ago, she was just sweeping her head from left to right making sure they were relatively safe from 'walkers' as Gus calls them, the rifle was leaning against the lawn chair, she felt she didn't need if there were no ghouls present to shoot.

Carley was just remembering what life was like a week ago, noisy, busy, enjoyable and most importantly safe, she barely made it through today, hell if it wasn't for Doug, Gus and Lee's group showing up to put out out the fire she would've got burned. It was now close to 9'o clock, the light breeze was refreshing as it blew through her hair, sending a satisfying tingle through her body, she was never a 'stop and smell the roses kind of gal' but this was actually enjoyable she thought.

Suddenly the RV shook as Lee appeared, climbing up the ladder to join Carley for an update on those walking ghouls, Carley looked at Lee with a hint of mysteriousness, as he pulled himself up he greeted her followed by his question "Hey Carley, you see anything?" he asked with a curious stare.

Carley felt the question was a little obvious or could be considered rhetorical, she placed her hands on her hip, sarcastically remarking while observing "Just a long stretch of road and beyond that is the woods, but no ghouls". Lee noticed the sarcasm but he feigned ignorance and took note of the important part of his question, responding "Good, hope it stays that way".

There was a momentary silence between the two, Carley looked around, checking to see if anyone else was up and about, most had retreated to their rooms, except for her and Lee obviously, she narrowed her eyes a bit as she turned to bear it at Lee who was keeping an eye on the road and their surroundings.

"I know who you are" Carley stated, looking straight at a startled Lee, 'she knows?' he wondered, what about? The state senator? That was the only plausible explanation, 'not surprising, she is a news reporter' he realised it made sense for her to know this, it is her job nevertheless he wasn't sure whether this was good or bad but given the latter it wasn't good.

"You're Lee Everett. You're a Professor at Athens who killed a State Senator who was sleeping with your wife. That drugstore was owned by your parents; folks around town know the owner's son got himself a life sentence, but I'm a reporter for WABE in Atlanta". As Carley explained her immense knowledge of the trial, he didn't like where this was going, he crossed his arms as she continued.

"I paid attention to that trial. Maybe you're a murderer. But I don't really care. Frankly that's a skill that might come in handy" he wasn't pleased with that statement, he had no intentions of killing anyone, what he did was wrong and he regrets killing the state senator, not because he was on his way to prison only yesterday, he hurt his wife, lost his job and if his parents were still alive now, their love.

"Hmmph" he scoffed, before Carley went on to press more uncomfortable question and accusations, he was already convicted, now a news reporter was trying to get the scoop of a lifetime, it seems, not that it may matter.

"Have you told anyone here who you were? Or that you were tied to the drugstore?" why would he? He stood a better chance of keeping Clementine safe in a group, plus Kenny would probably distrust him if he told him.

Lee wanted to tell her to mind her own business but that would surely create some tension in their developing friendship, plus he was sick of lying, or keeping secrets, he hated both of these things. Despite her knowledge of his criminal acts, she seemed trustworthy, and making enemies wasn't something he felt was necessary.

Lee decided to give her a straight honest answer "No I've been sticking to first name for a reason". Carley gave him a concentrated look, observing how he spoke, before realising "You seem like an OK guy and the last thing we need is drama around here. You've got this little girl to take care of, and… look, don't make me wrong on this".

Lee quickly replied his was not his intentions "I don't plan to" before Carley immediately added "Good. Because if this lasts longer than a few days, and you're a detriment to the group then we have a problem" that sounded almost like a threat "I hear you" he replied, slightly annoyed by Carley acting rather hostile given how nice and accepting she's been to him so far, but he understood her doubts.

Carley was making a quick last confirmation with herself before stating "I'll just keep it to myself" he may not know much about her but she seemed to be trustworthy, and he appreciated her understanding and keeping his past a secret from the others "Thanks" he softly replied, with a gratified smile.

Carley had a slight blush; she looked away, noticing Kenny leaving Room 6, the room he and Katjaa chose for themselves and Duck. Carley looked at Lee with a smile, appreciating his trust in her "Don't worry about it" she softly replied before splitting apart to avoid a snive comment from Kenny or suspicion.

Gus suddenly emerged from his room, carrying a box into the RV, most likely more supplies, no questioned him, Kenny was just about to climb up the ladder of the RV when suddenly the sound of a helicopter came into earshot.

A Helicopter, a military helicopter most likely, Gus came outside the RV, not sure what it was at first but now it was obvious, Doug suddenly emerged from his bedroom, room 3. They all gathered to the RV, Kenny climbed up and valiant assertion "I hope that's the sound of us winning this thing" finishing with a small fist pump.

"Yeah I'm sure it is" he stated with a positive smile looking at everyone else who looked quite hopeful, help was coming, Doug's IT intellectual side formed through his opinion of the situation "They'll contain this plague and every decaying body will be removed, I hope" everyone shook their heads, agreeing and hoping they would be alright.

Gus enlightened them with a most likely scenario "It'll be a few days, maybe a week or two but I actually have hope" he surprisingly smiled, much to everyone's dismay but Carley agreed "I agree, I think it's all going to work out".

Everyone continued to look up at the night sky, the humming of the helicopter became faint, Kenny then pointed out the positive position they were in "This Motor Inn's pretty damn defendable" giving Gus an approving nod "We got food, we got cars and most importantly we got light… and each other, there are worse places to call home", no-one could argue with that, it was the truth.

"Everything will work out" Carley added for good measure and Lee agreed with everything that's been said; they would be saved, they were safe until then and they had hope, he gazed up, smiling at these predictions "I think you guys are right, everything is going to work out, we have each other, we'll get through this".

The world is withering away, like a dying plant, a dying form of life, the world has hope? Or is it starting to wither away and die, Survivors fighting to preserve it or potentially destroy it or is it the future that tells us "The weak will inherit the world" we have to clear.

**On the next episode of AMC the Walking dead**

**AAAHHHHHHHHH**

**Gus "I found this" photo of Lee's family "I thought you should keep it"**

**Clementine "You said they'd find us"**

**Kenny "You do what ya been doing Lee, for some random guy who's never had kids of his own, ya good at the whole parent thing" **

**Ben "My names Ben, Ben Paul"**

**Gus "You're not suggesting we leave him out there to die?"**

**Kenny "WALKERS"**

**Lee "CDC?"**

**Kenny "Right, the Centre for Disease Control, their probably sitting on their asses, with the doors sealed shut" **

**Carley "the CDC is our only hope right now"**

**Lee "Why'd you help us out back there?"**

**Gus "Maybe if I was ever in a situation like that; Someone might spare a bullet or two for me, naïve right?" **

**Lee "What are you messing around with there?"**

**Carley "A Radio, I can't get it to work though"**

**Voice on the radio "Broadcasting on Emergency Channel, Police will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85, Anybody read? Please respond"**

**Kenny "What the fuck?"**

**"Please no more…uh please, no more no no please aaahhh hoo hoooooo aaahhhhhhhh"**

**Please review and if you have some suggestions for the story, fill free to, and just a heads up, I am a slow writer and I try to give a spotlight to each character so I will not update reguarely, but I'll try. Now if ya'll excuse me I'm got episode 2 in the works, that and season 1 of the show to watch again x 4, I love it. FYI Telltale has announced season 2 of the Walking Dead; you play as Clementine, awesome but I am cautious, farewell zombie fans **


	2. Chapter 2 What lies beyond? (Part 1)

**I realise the first episode was super long, I acknowledge any criticism and have decided to do these episodes in parts so I'll be able to update on a weekly basis, hopefully. I just want to point out that yes it will follow the basic structure of the TV show but I'll try my hardest to throw some unexpected twist to keep it fresh, so please enjoy. **

**Episode 2: What Lies Beyond? Part 1 **

Three weeks, three weeks since a group of survivors found a place to call home, everyone now understands the threat of Walkers, forcing each of them to think smart when going on a hunt or a supply run. Macon belongs to the dead now, there was no logical reason to go into town, it was overrun by Walkers.

They developed a system, it was working, Lee, Kenny, Gus and Carley were all candidates for hunting, because they were the only ones that were trained to use a firearm, three of them would hunt for food while one stayed to protect the Motor Inn. The Motor Inn has been safe, so far no Walker invasions, they were a huge problem whilst hunting but the threat seemed manageable, but could it last much longer?

While on hunts, Gus would go off on his own looking for survivors, but he hasn't come across any, the group hasn't seen a living breathing person since they made the Motor Inn their home, help hasn't arrived, if anything it all seemed grim, some were losing hope that whatever this thing is, it may never be contained, things may never return to normal, even if it did, how could they go back to the way things were when so much has happened? Who knows?

* * *

Crouching down by a slowly devoured animal, no longer easy to tell what it was as a Walker was slowly munching and chipping away at the flesh of the dead animal.

In the bushes, the leaves quietly rattled at someone's presence, this figure stood up, holding up what appears to be a fire axe, once the timing was right the axe came down hard, carving a 'V' in the Walker's head, it fell instantly to the ground revealing its killer as Lee.

Kenny, Lee's hillbilly friend emerged from the bushes as well, holding a hunting rifle, staring down at the now infected piece of animal meat, he beared his teeth, glaring, clearly frustrated "Half-eaten rabbit?" Lee believed it was "Yeah it looks like it", if Kenny wasn't holding his rifle he would have thrown his hands in the air, exasperated "Goddammit!".

Kenny started walking off, Lee followed, Kenny was getting sick of finding walkers eating something they should be hunting "Every fuckin time we find food a walker beats us to it" Lee complied, he was right, but it wouldn't have been enough to share between eight people "A rabbit's hardly a meal, Kenny but it was something".

"It ain't shit now" the fisherman retorted as they kept walking ahead to find an animal they could kill and take back to camp, Lee was checking their surroundings as they were walking through the woods.

Kenny was focused on finding meat for his family, meat has been depleted since they first arrived in Macon, animals worthy of feeding a whole group were hard to come by, they got lucky a week ago with a badger and an owl but since them nothing.

Kenny was pretty peeved at their situation as he complained "I can't believe we're taking orders from a kid almost half my age, seems a little fucked if ya ask me".

Lee didn't have a problem with Gus organising these hunts and supply runs in the least, Gus was smart, tactical even when it came to surviving, he knew how to use a weapon which was another plus and Lee trusted him, he knew what he was doing and believed Kenny was being too hard on him.

"Gus knows about these things, he's seen more shit then any of us, can't imagine how he keeps a level head" Lee explained, sympathetic toward Gus, but grateful for everything he's done for them, keeping them behind cover, offering tips and he was the source of optimism in most cases, Clementine liked Gus, calling him 'nice', which made him smile.

Kenny didn't have anything against the kid, if anything he felt sorry for Gus, he pretty much has nothing but this group left, plus if not for him, Duck could've been bitten, he won't forget that as he acknowledged Lee's response and replied "Fuck man me neither, it's like waking up to find your town crumbling to fucking pieces".

Lee would often worry about Clementine when she wasn't with him, that was the least likable part about these hunts and supply runs, being apart from Clem "Yeah, can't imagine how Clementine's feeling about all this, not knowing where her parents are I mean".

Lee was depressed just thinking about the fate of Clem's parents, he wasn't sure he was cut out to be a father for her, Kenny sensed the doubt in his voice, he wasn't going to let Lee doubt himself, he is good to her "You do what ya been doing Lee, for some random guy who's never had kids of his own, ya good at the whole parent thing".

Kenny looked at lee, he was grateful for him saying that, Lee knew Kenny meant that, Kenny smiled as he added "Just be thankful you never went through the dirty diaper stage man, still get fucking nightmares" he added, humourlessly trying to lift his friend's spirit, Lee let out a soft chuckle "I'll keep that in mind and… thanks Kenny".

Kenny considers Lee a great caretaker for Clementine but also a great friend and a good man and Kenny knew he could count on Lee, the man stood by his side to save Duck, defend him from Hershel's rage, he consoled him when he felt responsible for Shawn's death and showed general concern for everyone's wellbeing and safety, Gus was an essential member just as he himself was but Lee was the group's leading force.

Kenny gave Lee a nod showing appreciation of his 'thanks' and replied "No problem man, now let's find some fucking meat". They kept moving on through the woods aimlessly, it was quiet, only their footsteps and the wind whooshing through the trees, it was kind of soothing but knowing there were Walkers around would kill anyone's tranquillity.

They came to a clearing, Kenny looked to his left then his right, and coast seemed clear as he walked ahead he spoke aloud "I hope that kid's having more luck than we are". Based on their luck of late he wasn't sure, Gus had less to work with; his shotgun had limited range so it was only good for close up encounters but who knows? He might have found a squirrel or fox or something "Yeah I hope so too".

There was a sudden cawing and wings fluttering coming from a crow, as it flew over the clearing, perching itself on the branch of a lofty tree, Kenny and Lee looked at the crow in disbelief, was this a gift? They both asked themselves mentally.

Lee and Kenny didn't want to pass up the opportunity that presented itself, they both quickly and quietly positioned themselves behind a large rock, Kenny had already aimed his rifle at the crow, clearly visible through the scope, guaranteed not to miss with this kind of deadly accuracy.

Kenny was about to pull the trigger out of desperation when Lee advised "Don't… gunshot will attract Walkers, one bird's not worth it" Kenny's focus was broken now, but Kenny realised the consequences and lowered the rifle in defeat.

"Shit I know but fuck man, that's the first piece of meat we've seen that isn't some dead bastard or half eaten rabbit, we're better off with the mountains of food that kid's got back at the Motor Inn". While Kenny was angry, Lee was thinking rationally, knowing Gus's system was a sure method of preserving their supplies and it was working, when they found food that is.

"He's making sure we maintain that balance of food we have" Lee argued against Kenny's flawed thinking, Kenny took a breath of fresh air, agreeing once again with Lee's reasoning and replied in slight annoyance "Yeah I know I'm just-".

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" a sudden loud ear piercing cry echoed through the forest interrupting Kenny, the bird immediately flew away and grabbing the attention of Lee and Kenny.

"What in god's name was that?!" Kenny shouted, startled as was Lee "Shit, was that Gus?" Lee shouted back, fearing for their young supply runner "Fuck, I don't know" Kenny responded, clearly dumbfounded and confused, Lee immediately ordered "Come on!" as they scrambled to their feet and scurried deeper into the woods to the source of the cry.

They were sprinting further in, hoping to help or save Gus if it was him, they came to a halt when they came to a crossroad, not sure which way to go, but then a second piercing shout, louder than the first, guided them to the left path. They were led into an opening in the forest, where two teenagers wearing identical clothing, one of them was kneeling by a third but older man ensnared by what appeared to be a FUCKING BEAR TRAP!? While the other one; the brown haired boy stood there watching in horror, frozen unable to help.

The black haired boy was kneeling down trying to open up the bear trap to free the man but was clearly not strong enough, making the trap cut deeper into the man's leg, he cried in pain at the failed attempt as he tried to carouse he aching leg. The bear trap was snared on the man's left foot, which was seriously bleeding over the bear trap that was now camouflaging into the ground.

Lee and Kenny were just staring, shocked until Kenny blurted out "Holy fucking Christ" the three strangers instantly noticed them standing there; the two boys were instantly panicking at their presence. The short black haired climbed to his feet while the tall brown haired boy raised his hands in surrender, defenceless while the short black haired teen began pleading "Oh shit! No. No…Please don't kill us! We just want to help our teacher! We'll leave, I swear!".

Lee and Kenny were completely awestruck by the rising tension and the chaos that was spiralling out of control, the man trapped was trying to ease his pain by gently pressing in different areas of his leg but it only hurt more. Suddenly Gus came running into the scene, holding his shotgun close in hand "Guys are you okay?" concerned and confused until he noticed the two guys most likely around eighteen, and saw the ensnared man "Holy shit! What happened?" he shouted in shock of this gruesome display.

The older ensnared man was in incredible pain, trying desperately to ease his pain, clutching at his leg "Get it off! Get it off, God Dammit, get it off me!" the man begged, at the brink of tears.

The tall brown haired boy made a quick look at the three strangers and turned to his friend and shouted "Travis, maybe they can help!" but the short teen known as Travis objected to the idea "These might be the same guys that raided our camp and…we barely got away from that!"

Gus was the first to question "What guys? We're just hunting for food, we have women and children" he explained, trying to make them see they were innocent and gain their trust, Kenny gritted his teeth "Kid, shut it and why the fuck is there a bear trap out here?!" he shouted but the tall kid replied in a panicking manner "I don't know, man!".

Lee realised things were getting out of hand, the man needed help "It's okay, we're not gonna hurt you" he spoke truthfully, the tall boy was quick to trust from how he looked at them, but the shorter kid refused to believe them and tried to convince his friend not to trust them "Don't listen to them, Ben! Please, just let us go! We're not a threat to you!" he pleaded as the teacher continued to squirm, looking slightly nauseous from blood loss.

Kenny was wishing for the kid to quieten the hell up, afraid Walkers would hear the racket they were making "Kid, chill out! We'll try to help you, but you've got to shut the fuck up!" he growled, the Ben kid trembled at his command.

Gus looked to Lee after realising they had to help "Lee, this is messed up. We gotta help 'em" he begged, Lee already agreed and was about to respond when the tall brown haired boy named Ben begged almost completely desperate and scared "Please" . Ben's eyes were that of a frightened child but his short friend Travis once again refused to believe them, he half-yelled and half-whispered to him, "Ben, shut up! My dad was Special Forces, I know what I'm doing!" he sounded like he was bragging.

Ben was fed up being quiet; he just wanted his teacher to be okay. Ben ignored his friend and in a fit of panic shouted "Just see if you can get him out! After that you can leave us or whatever, I don't care! Please!".

Lee realised leaving the man trapped like an animal was cruel, no way anyone should die like that, walkers were also a fear now with all the arguing and shouting they've been doing, some were probably on their way here, the situation was grim and now urgent, the right thing to do starts with freeing the man "We've gotta get him out of there".

The ensnared teacher couldn't believe his ears, he was relieved beyond words, nevertheless he cried out his gratitude through pain and tears "Oh God, thank you!". Kenny wasn't completely happy given their current situation but he agreed with Lee's decision "Fine, but you've gotta hurry!".

Gus had already kneeled down to examine the bear trap "Hurry… please hurry…" the man begged, Gus replied "Don't worry, we'll get you free sir" trying to be polite and positive.

Suddenly the distinct sound of groaning, moaning and gurgling noises could be heard in the distance, everyone was too busy waiting for Gus to figure out how to get it off, he gasped at his realisation "Oh shit, Lee, bad news, trap's altered, there's no way to get it open, there's no latch" looking at Lee's shocked expression.

Travis was now concerned "Dude, do something!" he shouted, commanded more like it, but Gus looked over his shoulder to glare at the annoying teen screaming in his ear "Hey I'm no tech expert!" Gus shouted causing Travis to throw his hands up in the air, exasperated, he turned around only to be welcomed to a horrifying sight of Walkers slowly approaching "Oh no" he gasped.

Everyone else turned to look at the unwelcoming faces of blood curdling dead people; their situation became direr, "Shit! Walkers! It's now or never Lee" Kenny shouted, getting into position to fight back at incoming walkers. "Please… get me out of this!" the teacher cried out in agony and being scared on top of that, "Gus keep an eye on them" referring to Ben and Travis "-and make sure Walkers don't sneak up on us!" he ordered, Gus standing ready "Got it" he replied "Kenny! Keep those Walkers off of me!" he added.

As the echo of shots fired from Kenny's rifle was happening in the background, Lee proceeded to study the bear trap, the panic level was high, everyone was talking at once, groaning from Walkers, screaming from the trapped man, and to top all that, there was no release latch as Gus informed.

The first thing Lee attempted was trying to yank it open with his bare hands; the man squirmed in agonising pain "AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH! STOP! STOP! STOP!" realising it wouldn't work "Oh please! We can't just leave him like this!" he heard the tall kid cry out.

Lee then tried the same idea but using his fire axe to yank it off, but it ended the same way with the man crying out in intense pains unable to handle the sharp teeth of the bear trap digging into his leg. Lee realised the bear trap was chained to a tree, the chain itself would be too sturdy to cut through but through a fit of panic and desperation, he began hacking away at tree, only getting three solid cuts in the tree before Gus shouted "Are we seriously cutting down a Christmas tree?, try something else", it was a long shot yes but that meant the only way to save the man was to, oh God.

After studying the bear trap one more time, the man pleading, crying and shouting for him to do something "He's lost so much blood already… please hurry" Ben shouted forcing Lee to look up and his eyes widened at the sight "Kid behind you!" the tall kid spun around, he screamed as a walker was about to attack, but Gus ran to the kids side, with his shotgun planted against the walkers head firing once as he looked away, spraying blood onto the tree behind the lifeless walker as it fell to the ground.

Lee was relieved as he returned to studying the trap one more time he heard Ben say "Whoa thanks man!" and Gus replied "Don't mention it, oh shit! Lee there's too many of them, hurry!".

Lee knew what had to be done to save the man, slowly rising to his feet, holding his axe, the man looked at Lee terrified, dawning on him "Oh God" and then Lee stated "I'm gonna have to cut you out!" and the man instantly begged him, frantically refusing "No! No! No! Try the trap again… anything, please!".

Lee had no other choice he slowly lifted his axe above his head hearing the man plead "I want my leg!, I want my leg!" he pleaded one last time but Lee had his mind set on saving him and in that moment and reluctantly brought the axe down, Slashing it into the man's ensnared leg.

AAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" he violently screamed, attempting to clutch at his partially dismembered leg but it was fully cut off yet, Lee forced his eyes closed as swung a second time and once again the man erupted into an agonising scream.

Ben and Travis were completely horrified, it was like watching a slasher film like Chainsaw massacre happen right in front of them, Ben was clutching his hand over his mouth holding back the urge to puke, Travis just stared with his jaw ajar, Gus was also taken back, fighting back his disgust not of Lee's actions but the scene in general, it was horrific and then Kenny looked back, catching a quick glimpse of what Lee was forced to do and shouted "Fuck! I'm just wasting ammo now! we gotta go!".

Lee just finished a third blow to the man's leg and at this point, blood was spurting from the man's slashed up leg, the bone was showing, and the last thing to get through, the man had his hand holding the almost completely sawed off leg, bearing a terrified face and holding back the pain by gritting his teeth, Lee swung again.

The man was lying down in a pool of blood at this point, the pain was overpowering the teacher, trying to force himself to sit up but it was too late, Lee forced a final blow to his leg with the axe and completely cutting off the man's leg.

The teacher stared in horror at the end result, his leg was gone, he couldn't handle it anymore, the loss of blood caused him to lose consciousness. Gus and Travis came to Lee's side, Travis instantly cuffed his mouth and moved away, Ben then came to Lee's side.

Gus was gritting his teeth together "Is he?" Gus asked not wishing to finish his sentence but Lee quickly responded to keep them calm "He passed out". Kenny came to the teacher and picked him up, hoisting the unconscious man onto his back "Let's just get the hell out of here!" he shouted and started walking toward a safer direction, Walkers were drawing closer.

Lee was looking down at the man's discarded leg as Kenny walked ahead; Gus slowly followed but was looking back at the others as he walked. Ben walked past Lee; he looked at the boy who was in another world at this point, a better place than this, before Lee looked to Travis who was throwing "BEHIND YOU!" Lee suddenly shouted, once Ben saw the Walker approaching Travis he tried to run to his friend but Lee held his arm out to stop him.

"Come! Come on! We gotta move!" he shouted, Travis didn't understand until he turned around and saw two walkers coming to him, slowly backing away he tripped on a fallen branch and scurried backwards until he backed up against a tree, terrified, scared and he thought he was done for.

However his father's training instincts kicked in just before the Walker bent down to feast on him, he rolled over to his right, temporarily safe, climbing to his feet, Walkers were coming toward him, there were maybe ten or twenty of them.

"TRAVIS!" Ben shouted while still trying to break free from Lee's hold, Gus wanted to do something but it was too risky. Travis looked at Ben, frightened, he quickly looked at the Walkers almost on top of him and then at Ben again who was staring at him with pleading eyes but then Travis screwed up his face and shouted "Ben, I'm sorry!" and then the boy turned away from the walkers and Ben and ran further into the woods, with Ben's voice shouting out at the top of his lungs "TRAVIS!".


	3. Chapter 3 What lies beyond? (Part 2)

**Hello everyone I'm back and roaring for chapter 3 now that I've figured out how to work this thing. Why did I let Travis live? that's my little secret. I like to thank Guest 1 for his kind words, I do have a Carley and Lee plan but you'll have to wait, please enjoy this chapter and review and feel free to offer suggestions, I'll consider them and respond as to whether or not I do it and why. Enjoy :)**

Elsewhere, with a bunch of familiar survivors, safe behind a barricade that has served well as a means of protecting the group, familiar people each doing their own thing. Carley was atop the RV, sitting on the lawn chair, a hunting rifle rested in her lap, Carley was wearing blue tight jeans and her white reporter's shirt.

Carley was watching the dorky Doug tinker around with some bells and string, she didn't understand how this supposed 'alarm system' was meant to work, he spoke to her and Gus about it was going to work, she didn't doubt his intelligence, he was shy, but also the smartest of them all, even Lee.

Doug was wearing a medium brown coloured jacket and some blue jeans, Doug was just cutting the string to correct lengths with scissors, his 'alarm system' needed to be ready in case of emergencies such as Walkers, bandits or other survivors. Doug was supposed to be barricading the wall but he was only a few hours away from finishing it, having started making it with stuff he found around the Motor Inn a week ago. Since settling into the Motor Inn, they've been improving the wall adding barb wire and nailed more planks of would to it as well as some sharp edged pieces of steel Doug found near the generator.

As Doug was cutting string to lengths, he gazed up at Carley, mesmerised by her beauty, long beautiful hair, amazing attractive emerald coloured eyes and her lips as red as Snow White's. During these three weeks Doug has found it easier to talk to Carley, he talked to Gus about his attraction to Carley since he and Gus had become good friends and Gus told him to be himself and talk to her about what they had in common and such. Doug almost froze in horror when Carley noticed him staring at her, she didn't mind, she simply smiled, a smile that made him melt but his shyness kicked in and forced him to get back to his project.

Carley knew Doug was shy around her and nevertheless she liked him too, she couldn't explain why 'THUMP' a loud noise caught her attention, it was the little girl Clementine; kicking a soccer ball that Lee brought back from a supply run into a family home 20 minutes up the road, for Clem and Duck to play with.

Clementine continually kicked the ball colliding with the barrels and bouncing back over and over again, it became like a loud metronome. Clem looked really unenthusiastic and bored, Carley suspected it had something to do with Lee's absence, she was really attached to Lee always wanting him to be close, and she felt safer around him but considering she hasn't seen her parents in three weeks Lee was the only person she has any close connection with, so it's understandable why she looks bored.

Everyone in the group were protective of Clem, she is a sweet considerate little girl, Lee has saved her life a few times and continues to keep her safe and as his top priority, Kenny always keeps a close eye on Clementine because of what Lee did to save Duck back on Hershel's farm.

Carley keeps an eye on her as well and occasionally plays a game or drawing with her when she can and has slept in Lee and Clem's room while he is on watch much to Lee appreciation, since Clem is afraid of the dark, also understandable.

Duck was laying down drawing with the crayons Gus gave to him and Clem, drawing on a piece paper over a wooden board, closely watched by his mother; Katjaa a veterinarian who smiled as she kneeled down to see what he was drawing.

Carley was happy, knowing that despite all the shit that was happening, the kids haven't let it change them, she knew that was Lee's biggest fear, he never said it but the signs were all there. Suddenly her attention was caught by something else, she heard something, like bushes rattling, and she stood up with the rifle in hand, looking across the road to the woods, she could whatever it was getting closer.

Carley kept her focus on the woods while Clementine continued kicking the ball against the barrels 'THUMP' Carley was had her eyes on the woods, hearing the leaves fluttering 'THUMP' her dead eye and hunting rifle steadily watching for whatever it may be, but regardless whatever it was it sounded close 'THUMP'.

Carley looked down at Katjaa and whispered to get her attention "Get down" both Duck and his mother immediately froze in place, Clementine seized kicking the ball and crouched down looking worried, Doug had a feeling he heard something while he was tinkering with his alarm system setup and was already kneeling against the wall, nervously peeping over the wall waiting for whatever it was to show itself.

"Get the gates open! We've got wounded!" Lee bellowed as he emerged from the woods in an obvious panic, Carley was instantly concerned, her eyes widening, then she saw an unknown boy; tall, wearing what she recognised as a stony mountain sweater, brown hair, possibly eighteen, emerging almost instantly after Lee.

Doug realised the urgency and started to pull the gate open slowly, Gus suddenly emerged from the woods as well, with Kenny bringing up the rear with the unconscious teacher on his back, Katjaa saw the man from behind the gate; missing a leg, she covered her mouth; shocked.

Carley jumped down from the RV, joining the crowd, concerned as Doug was forcing the gate open, the new kid instantly squeezed through the gate; not wanting to be out in the open any longer.

Gus looked back at Kenny and pleaded "Come on Kenny" and he remarked in a snarky manner "I've got a guy on my back, y'know" Gus just ignored him.

Once Kenny, Lee, Gus and Ben entered, they were all hit with a barrage of questions starting with Katjaa "What happened?" Duck ran to his mother, holding her asking "who's that?" as Ben passed the boy, then Carley asked "What's going on?" scared but concerned and Doug pressed also "Why's he missing a leg?".

Lee wasn't quite sure it was appropriate to talk about what happened in front of Clem or Duck, that and the situation was too chaotic and urgent with a man's life on the line "We don't have time to explain" he stated. Lee also notice Clementine's sweet concerned voice ask "Lee are you okay?" he looked at her but his attention quickly went back to the more urgent matter

Gus closed the gate behind them, Katjaa's ordered "Get him into the truck; I'll see what I can do", Kenny and Ben gently lying the teacher down in the back of the truck. After Gus closed the gate he ran around the corner of the RV and inside to grab bandages and whatever else he could find that Katjaa might need based on what knowledge he already had from years of watching movies but he still had no clue.

Kenny was already questioning his wife with a look of panic and concerns "Kat, can you fix him?" Kenny asked, hoping for a positive response but she was dumbfound "Jesus, Ken! I…I don't know!" she stuttered not sure she could; given the man's current status.

Gus came running to Katjaa holding bandages, a med kit and some towels, he looked frantic, scared even as he said "Here Katjaa is this what you need?" his face bearing a mixture of emotions but she accepted grateful for his aid "Yes I think so, thank you Gus".

Katjaa already started stitching up the man's wound, Ben wanted to be with his teacher, the only person he could call friend now that Travis had left him, Ben tried to get closer but Kenny prevented him with his arm "Stay back kid he'll be fine" he looked down depressed, he wasn't so sure.

"Guys what happened out there?" Carley's concerned voice instantly caught their attention, breaking the momentary silence, Lee lowered his head, collecting his thoughts before responding "The guy was ensnared by a bear trap, I had to cut him free".

At this point it was a circle with Lee, Kenny, Carley, Doug, Gus, Ben, Clementine and Duck, absorbing Lee's statement, trying to visualise what happened for those who were not present. Clementine looked up at Lee, slightly scared by what Lee had done but she understood why, it was just scary.

It was silent for a bit before Doug perked his head up, looking at Lee with a puzzling expression and asked "Was there any other option aside from cutting off the dude's leg?" everyone including Carley awaited Lee's response, hoping he could justify it but despite her obliviousness in trusting a criminal, he has proved to be a loyal friend to all but she wanted an explanation anyway.

Lee wasn't sure if Doug was criticizing his tough decision or just generally curious but nevertheless Lee responded with the truth "No, there were Walkers everywhere, we barely made it". Kenny was gritting his teeth at Doug, believing he meant to sound condescending and defended Lee by stating "You weren't there Doug, Lee made a choice, end of story".

Doug widened his eyes, realising how the question sounded and clarified calmly "I wasn't arguing with his decision". Ben was just staring at the ground, almost like a ghost, Gus stood next to him arms crossed and simply trying to process what happened and there was a brief silence before Lee added "We were forced to leave one of them, he ran deeper into the woods" .

Carley looked puzzled, Clementine looked somewhat worried, Ben was staring at the strangers that surrounded him, Doug had that intense inner thinking conflicted look, eyeing people and then the floor, trying to think of a solution for the situation and suggested questionably "Should we go looking for him?".

Kenny gave Doug a look that suggested he was insane, bearing his teeth blurting out "Hell no, too many goddamn Walkers". Upon Kenny's outburst, Gus uncrossed his arms, looking slightly annoyed at Kenny, taking a step forward and stated "Then I'll go".

Kenny just shrugged before he exclaimed with very limited concern in his voice but he was irritated by the conversation "You do whatever the hell you want but you're on your own kid".

Ben was just watching the two; Gus and Kenny bicker about finding his friend Travis, he realised Gus was all for helping his friend, regardless of the fact that Travis pretty much abandoned him and his teacher, Travis had no choice or at least that's what he kept telling himself.

While Ben was listening to the conversation play out in front of him, when a small sweet voice coming from a little girl said "Come over here and see what I drew". Ben wasn't sure at first what the little girl said but he pieced it together but hesitated to leave his teacher's side encase something goes wrong "What? No… I" he stuttered, looking down at her then back at the others, but then he felt the little girl's hand gently pull him away.

Ben allowed the little girl to pull him away when she added "Just come on, okay" he wasn't sure what else to do, but he was hoping to hear that they would help get Travis back here but for now he'd have to wait and hope they would as Clem guided him over to the board they drew over, where Duck was already colouring.

Gus was irritated by Kenny's stubborn selfish nature, wasn't risking helping the kid who fled, and Gus remembered how it was Kenny at one point suggesting that they should've left them "You would say that, you wanted to leave them behind".

Gus was glaring at Kenny who received some equal looks from Carley, Doug and even a side glance from his wife. Kenny returned the glare, slightly more intimidating and explained in a firm aggravated tone "Only the guy trapped in the bear trap, Walkers were everywhere! We put our asses on the line, back there!".

Kenny was obviously annoyed by Gus's lack of understanding of how dire their situation was at the time, Gus knew Kenny was right about 'there asses being on the line' but he wouldn't have accepted leaving them behind "We couldn't leave them either, they would have died if we hadn't stuck around" Gus firmly stated, showing a serious amount of care of other people including he does not know.

Kenny shrugged his head aggressively and stepping closer to Gus and blurting what he thought "Well fuck me, I didn't see you pulling any bright ideas out your fuckin ass" Gus beared a screwed up facial expression, clearly offended and responded in a more irritated than before manner "Me? You're the one that suggested cutting the guy's leg off".

Kenny was opening his mouth to fire back at Gus when Carley suddenly intervened "Come on your both being melodramatic". Gus and Kenny both stared at Carley who looked slightly irritated by their childish bickering, both men then glared back at one another, well Kenny did but Gus was observing his facial response, before Gus looked back at Carley, he didn't want to argue with Kenny knowing how hot his temper could get.

Lee then stood in to support Carley, he agreed with her, the aggression between Gus and Kenny was becoming more frequent these last few days and it was getting ridiculous. Lee stood firm, eyes brimming seriously as he added "Carley's right we saved them and that's that, no point arguing about it now".

Gus realised he and Carley were right, staring at the ground temporarily before looking at Kenny who still seemed annoyed by Gus's logic and then the kid explained further "We had to save them, you know that Kenny". Gus was calm when he spoke, Kenny gritted his teeth together, he knew Gus was right but he still didn't like it.

Lee then added "We'll figure everything out once that guy's up and about but for now we need to stay calm", everyone gave a nod of approval with Lee's statement, then they walked off to do their own thing. Kenny left first to cool off, he went to seat himself on the couch to fiddle with a part for the RV, Carley gave Lee an approving smile, glad that he stood up for her before walking over to where Clem, Duck and the new kid were and sat down on a lone lawn chair to keep an eye on Clem and Duck and the new kid to a lesser extent.

Doug gave Lee a nod of approval before departing to work on his alarm system which was only a few hours away from completion, Gus also gave Lee a nod of his head, agreeing with what he has said before walking off to do a supply check in one of the rooms.

Lee realised how thin the man's chances of survival really were, as he stood there wondering if cutting off the guy's leg was the right call, it was Kenny who suggested it, he had panicked, now wondering if there was another way he could've taken to save the guy. He noticed no one was on watch but it wasn't important right now, plus they haven't really had any walkers walk past the Motor Inn well not since the first week anyway, but he didn't want to take chances.

Lee decided to talk with Katjaa first, and then check in on Clementine, then Carley regarding their situation, then Kenny about watch duty, then Gus about supplies and about the possibly going out to search for Ben's friend, Travis? Yeah, then the new kid Ben, then he might as well check on Duck. Then he'd talk to Doug, he hasn't had a lot of time to get to know Doug very well but he was a resourceful guy and seemed to be rather nice to everyone but he and Kenny barely got along.

* * *

Lee approached Katjaa hoping for some good news for the new kid's sake, Katjaa had blood soaked hands as she was deep in concentration stitching the man's leg up while trying to be hasty due to blood loss that man has had which could potentially kill him if she doesn't seal the wound quickly.

Katjaa sensed a presence behind her, she quickly looked back to see Lee approach and he asked "Is he going to be okay?" buy Katjaa immediately responded so she could get back to it "I don't know" and then wondering "Can you give me a hand real quick?".

Lee was open to helping her in any way he could "Sure, what do you need?" he responded as he stood at her side waiting to hear what he had to do "Just apply some pressure here while I try to close this up".

Lee pushed both hands against the unconscious man's leg, above the knee while Katjaa continued talking to Lee while she was patching his open wound "You know, I thought I was starting to get used to this, sowing up people's injuries… But I mean, cuts and bruises are one thing, but Lee, this man has no leg!" Katjaa's voice was stressed in the last sentence.

Lee remembered that it was Kenny who told him "Just cut his fucking leg off!" but he made the choice, he cut off the man's leg, it was his call, but he was trying to reason with himself if it was the right call, he wasn't able to free the man with the few tactics he attempted, so he knew he did the right thing within the circumstances.

"I did the right thing" he softly stated, there was the sound of slight remorse deep within his voice, Katjaa lightly shook her head, knowing that Lee would have done whatever he could have to save him "Yeah, I know ya did… The right thing is just scary sometimes, I guess".

Lee gave Katjaa a sideways glance, still wondering whether his call was right, Katjaa's then declared "Well, you've done all you can Lee. Thanks for the help". Lee stood up as Katjaa suggested "Go ahead and check in on the others. I need a little space here anyway" Lee agreed and went off to check on Clem, as he walked away Katjaa looked back over her shoulder, remembering that she was meant to say something else but it wasn't too important right now.

* * *

Lee strolled over to where Clementine was; lying against the parking lot concrete, drawing with Duck while being watched over by Carley and beside Clem was a slumped Ben, deep in thought. Lee came to Clem's side, kneeling down to check on her, Clem looked back, upon seeing Lee smiling at her, she repositioned herself, sitting up on her knees, and she looked worried he thought

"How are you doing Clementine? Everything all right?" he spoke softly as he always did to her, she quickly glanced over at Katjaa trying to save the man, before responding "Yeah, is that man going to be okay?". Lee didn't want Clem to believe there was no hope but the guy was in bad shape thanks to him, but he had faith in Katjaa's skills as the group's Vet doctor, but still he could say "I'm not sure".

"I hope he will" she quietly stated, Clem was full of empathy towards others, always paying attention and doing what she thought was right, Lee was proud of Clem for pulling the new kid; Ben away while Gus and Kenny were bickering.

While Lee was thinking, his eyes caught sight of Clem's Walkie-Talkie resting on the corner of the wooden board next to Clem's hand that was resting on the board as well.

"The Walkie Talkie, does that thing still work?" Lee asked with a curious look in his eyes, edging his brow, she looked at Lee with a hint of nervousness, like she was about to lose the only thing she had to remind her that there was still hope of her parents being alive out there somewhere.

"Yes, I need it encase my parents are out there" she spoke cautiously but Lee simply smiled and replied with a soft glimmer in his eyes "It's OK, hon", Clementine looked concerned again as she mentioned Lee's words three weeks ago "You said they'd find us".

Lee realised he did, but what else could he say, really? The topic was hard enough but having to put on a calm brave whenever she talked about her parents was harder "I know, I did" he replied calmly.

"But until then-" Clem added, but Lee sensed her doubt and added "You stay with me, I promise we'll find them, I won't let anything happen to you til then" smiling at Clem, she returned a small smile knowing he was telling the truth, he was her guardian.

Lee noticed Carley paying very close attention to the scene, he wasn't sure whether that was good or bad, but Carley hasn't mentioned his past to anyone so far, he was grateful but still, what he did to the state senator and his wife, it still plagued his mind, there was no way to undo that mistake but for now he'd do whatever possible to protect his friends and Clementine.

Carley had been fixated on Lee as a person of character, intrigued, most people looked to him for support, heck she did too, he may be a convicted criminal but he has proven to be a good man despite the label that was 'convicted killer', she was glad to have him here, and she was glad that Clementine was in Lee's care.

"Do you need anything?" Lee broke the short silence, Clem promptly shook her in rejection and gave a soft "No I'm OK" Lee wasn't sure whether she really did or not, she wasn't entirely there "Lee?" she suddenly asked "Yeah?".

"Do you think things will be back to the way they were?" Clem asked slightly taken back by the question, honestly he wasn't sure, Kenny was second guessing the Government lately who've yet to do anything worth noting if anything at all.

Lee would remind himself that something like this would take a while to contain, three weeks was not long enough to sort it out.

Lee was suddenly brought back to Hershel's farm, a mental image of the farm, it was untouched by walkers and served as a beacon of hope in some way but what happened after Shawn's death he'd rather not think about, but he had hope and Clem needed to realise that as well "Yeah, I think so; it may be a while but yeah", Clem shook her head seeming more positive, small smile edging on her face "I hope so too".

While gazing at Clem, it dawned on him "Just remember what Katjaa said "We'll all be home soon" her smile only grew at that point, she believed him just as she believed Katjaa, she believed their was still hope as did Lee "OK Clem I've got some things to do, why don't you go back to playing with Duck for a while?" and Clementine said "OK" spinning around and sliding to the ground to resume her drawings that she loved doing so much.


	4. Chapter 4 What lies beyond (Part 3)

Lee stood up, smiling, before turning in Carley's direction, she was eyeing him, and then she gave Lee an approving nod, Lee thought it was worth following up on what happened during her watch and get her opinion on their current situation. Lee often looked to Carley for guidance within morality; it was she who knew about his past, agreeing to keep it secret; so he looked to her for advice dealing with his guilt.

Carley had been surprised by the idea that Lee Everett; a convicted killer needed advice, she was therapist but she tried to help him deal with his demon because he had to be Clementine's caretaker, which required a level head and such.

Carley was resting her elbows on her knees, holding both hands together, watching as Lee approached from the side, she studied him, and he was sometimes unreadable, like Clementine but there was a good building relationship between that little girl and university teacher.

"Hey Carley" Lee's voice greeted her while catching her off guard "Hey Lee" she greeted in returned "See anything while you on watch?" he asked curiously, although Carley saw plenty "Yeah, three guys, one kid and a man with a missing leg" she stated in a rather sarcastic manner with a hint of scorn in her eyes.

Lee realised that chopping the teacher's leg off was rather grim but he only did it in hopes of saving him, he wasn't sure whether Carley disagreed with his decision or whether she was just making a serious attempt at humour "You don't think I made the right call?".

Carley understood his confusion, she was attempting to address what happened in a light-hearted manner but obviously gave off the wrong signals at what she meant, giving Lee a serious glint in her eyes and explained "It was a matter of life or death, no one else could've done such an act of crazy shit like that, but I know you would've been trying to do the right thing, it's just…".

Lee looked at Carley almost sympathetically "Yeah?" he replied "You think we can save him?" she asked, clearly concerned, doubtful even, he normally expected himself to ask these kinds of question, he gave a light chuckle, getting her full attention, a puzzled look before he replied "Heh, I was hoping you could tell me".

Carley smiled in response to his statement "Sorry to disappoint" but after letting the jokes pass, Lee was serious again, Carley had been very distant regarding her feelings toward this place and everything else beyond their defences, he was curious to learn more about her and how she was handling herself "What do you think of the Motor Inn?"

Carley did a quick glance at the wall, built from all kinds of metals and assorted bits and pieces, its kept them safe so far, Carley looked at Lee and responded "It's a good setup but like Kenny says "It's not exactly Fort Knox". Lee had his arms crossed, he shook his head "Yeah, no question" agreeing that it was a good setup but it came at the cost, the place had to be managed; people on watch, salvaging whatever they could while keeping their presence quiet.

Carley then began to further emphasize her point, showing a less than positive tone "We've managed this long, I just worry, you know? I mean sure Walkers are more predictable than a blond cheerleader but they're still a threat, I just hope we can handle them or anything else that comes our way".

Carley was clearly affected, she was losing hope but trying desperately to see the positive side of things, she's been a little edgy lately, not her usual self, the pressure has been getting to her, he believed or it could be lack of sleep, understandable now that monsters could actually be hiding under the bed.

Lee had his feet firmly in place, uncrossing his arms and said "We'll get through this, It's like you said "We've managed this long" we deal with stuff as it comes". Carley could hear and feel the sincerity in his voice, he meant every word, she was doubtful but she hasn't lost her faith "I hope you're right, Lee, I really do" she responded, Lee shook his head thinking 'so do I'.

A few seconds later Carley found herself looking over at the new kid, he was staring at the ground, looking rather lost, concerned and otherwise scared, she worried for him, he was just a kid, Lee was looking at Ben as well, he saw way more than necessary back there he believed, he was concerned for the boy's wellbeing considering that he just witnessed his teacher losing a leg and his best friend abandon him.

"What do you think of the new kid?" Lee asked her quietly, being a news reporter, Carley had keen observation skills, from first impressions he was quiet and scared, but as a person, she didn't have anything to go on, that and she was left in the dark regarding what actually happened "Hard to say, he hasn't said much, what actually happened back there anyway?".

Lee had crossed his arms while she spoke, when asked what happened, he stopped to think, images were shown of the event, the screams from the teacher as he hacked at his leg, rifles shots being fired, the other kid running off and Ben shouting "TRAVIS!".

"The guy was trapped, we got him out, I turned around to see the other kid being swarmed by walkers, he got out at the last second, and then he just ran deeper into the woods" Lee softly spoke so as not to gather the attention of the kids and Ben. Carley had her full attention on what he said, she felt bad for Lee having to do such a gruesome thing and the kid having his best friend dessert him.

"Gee… should we do something?" Carley questioned, seemingly curious as what Lee believed should happen regarding the boy that ran off, Lee had already planned to ask Gus to find the other kid, he felt bad having to rely on Gus to do it because of the dangers he may face but he lives in Macon, but he knows this town better than he did.

"I was gonna ask Gus if he could go out and look for him, he knows the woods better than us" Carley's eyes looked concentrated, Lee had a point but she was worried about Gus being in danger, he was a key member of the group and feared for his safety but he was quite capable of handling himself "Good idea, but what about when Katjaa gets the guy on his feet? What then?".

Carley didn't want to just send them packing, especially after what he did, plus he believed it would be safer to stick together, but still his mind had yet to reach a decision "Not sure, they could stay with us, least we could do considering".

Carley could hear the guilt in his voice, but based on the facts, she knew had no choice, and she felt that Lee was bearing an overwhelming sense of responsibility with these people, she sided with Lee regarding his decision, she believed he did the right thing "You did what you could Lee, anybody else out there would've let them to die, you didn't".

Lee felt better after hearing that, she was pretty good at making people feel better about themselves "Thanks, I'll Talk to you later Carley" Lee stated before walking in Kenny's direction, once Lee was out of earshot she formed a slight smile and whispered "You bet".

However a certain little girl saw this very silent gesture, her smile and how she said those words, she wasn't the only one; Doug was peeking from the corner of the RV, trying to remain undetected by Carley, right now he was feeling a bit down by how she secretly smiled at Lee.

Doug was jealous to say the least, he had nothing against Lee, in fact he understood why she might… like him, he wanted to impress Carley somehow, but he felt he had nothing to offer, in fact he felt he was of very little use to the group, he decided to get that alarm system operational "Maybe, this will show how useful I am, outside of killing walkers, that is" he quietly mentioned to himself as he resumed his work.

* * *

Lee approached his fisherman friend; Kenny was sitting upon a couch they pulled out from one of the rooms. Kenny was just studying, more like fiddling with what appeared to a pipe component for the RV's radiator, he seemed to be mostly dilly-dallying.

Kenny's looked up as Lee approached "Sup pal" he said with a smile brimming under his moustache, Lee and Kenny were pretty much like best friends, they were both likeminded and regarded as the group's leaders, they both got along quite well, considering what they've been through together, so to call them best friends was appropriate.

Lee smiled in response to being called pal, he appreciated it, before remembering why he came over "Thanks for buying me time to get that guy out of the bear trap, back there" crossing his arms while he spoke to his redneck friend.

Kenny was still a bit shook by what went down back in those woods, the man's bloodied leg left in the centre of the clearing, it made his stomach a bit queasy "I can't believe you cut off his leg. I don't know if I coulda done that" Kenny explained while bearing a stunned facial expression, his voice drenched with shock, rising his hands up then down on his lap to better emphasize his shock.

Lee understood what he meant, remembering with each swing of the axe, he momentarily hesitated but it was necessary, Lee uncrossed his arms and further explained "I didn't have a choice, it was that or the Walkers".

Kenny was sympathetic toward Lee for having been put in that situation, his eyes showed care for his friend, he approved of Lee's decision to save them despite what he said about leaving the ensnared man, Kenny supported Lee's quick thinking "Yeah, but you did what was best in them circumstances".

Lee smiled back at Kenny, he was grateful for those words "Thanks, Ken", he smiled back at Lee before clearing his throating and stated "I've been needing to thank you" pointing at him, Lee was slightly confused by what he was referring to exactly "What for?" he asked with general curiosity.

Suddenly Kenny stood up looking very calm, his face showed gratitude and Kenny began to explain why he was thanking him in a very honest and gratifying tone "You've been good to me and my family, you saved Duck from those monsters and you supported me when I had to work myself out over what happened to Shawn, I won't forget that".

Lee was taken aback by Kenny's thanks, Kenny was not one for showing gratitude all that often unless it had some kind of connection to the safety and protection of his wife, in this case it did but nevertheless he was grateful "Sure thing Kenny" he replied with a friendly smile, Kenny returned the friendly gesture, smiling as well.

Lee had been there for Kenny since the beginning, they had their differences but they both had someone they were looking out for, trying to protect. Lee was thinking back through the last three weeks and how they're friendship had developed. After half of a minute of revisiting memories, Lee remembered Kenny talking about his boat, and heading for the coast.

"You still think about getting to the coast?" Lee asked curiously, Kenny tilted his head, a bit perplexed by the sudden question, honestly he hadn't, no, unless Katjaa and Duck were put in danger, he figured for now it was best to stay put, but he was sort of conflicted by the idea.

"Naw man, too soon, the military probably got their hands full, elsewhere, either that or they don't give a shit about what happens, this place might be fortified for the long haul, but fuck man, things are only getting worse, any longer and the coast might be the safest thing for my family, you agree with me, right?".

Kenny brought up some solid points, Walkers can't swim, or at least he assumed they couldn't, whatever the case, it sounds safer than Macon right now "The coast does sound like the smartest option" he commented whilst crossing his arms.

Kenny gave a swift nod of approval before explaining "I know it is, I'll be taking my family, you and Clem are more than welcome to join us; you've more than earned a ride with me" Kenny then sat back down on the couch.

Lee was grateful for the offer but despite his desire to keep Clementine safe, he wouldn't about the group, no matter the circumstances.

Lee had been meaning to bring up the disagreements between Kenny and Gus, Gus was only trying to the right thing by offering to search for the kid, Kenny's reasoning's were valid except the part about leaving the ensnared goy for the Walkers, but that was beside the point.

Lee composed his train of thought, bearing his serious talk face "By the way you and Gus need to get along, you've both been at each other necks lately, and it's getting out of hand".

Kenny knew Lee was right, he has been in the shit with Gus, but he had his family to consider, but he knew deep down; most of what Gus said was true.

"Shit, I know, but going out there is a death sentence, that kid ran off, probably dead for all we know" Kenny knew that statement would stick to Lee but he was desperate in ensuring that if someone left the Inn, he was afraid Walkers may follow them.

Lee didn't want to believe that and he wouldn't, he made an effort to look calm about it as he stated "Maybe, but it's the right thing to do" Kenny threw his head up in annoyance, giving him a bit of a disgruntled look before responding in a very mild, slightly irritated tone "Yeah".

Lee looked up, seeing as no one had taken up watch duty, he looked at Kenny who had resumed examining the radiator pipe, Lee then asked politely "You think you could do watch duty for a while?".

Kenny stood up, seeming okay about it "Sure thing pal, I just need to plug this bitch into the RV, then she should be good to go, encase shit hits this place hard. Then I'll keep an eye out for walkers". Lee was glad to hear it, but his mind was focused on the man, Katjaa was patching up "Thanks, Let's hope things get better… soon" Kenny immediately poked a fun mental jab at him stating with charisma "Now there's a statement I can get behind".


	5. Chapter 5 What lies beyond (Part 4)

**Hello** **Zombie fans, as a treat for my reviewers (Guest 1 REW) I figure I give another chapter as a sort of 'thanks for your support' response. I understand its confusing about the TV/Game crossover explanation I gave so yes it does follow the main story of the TV Show with events from the game, but I will throw some nods to the comics, based on what I know, which isn't much because I don't know where to find the Comics, ebay? perhaps, but whatever the case I'll try to please my reviewers.**

**Also I feel I need to point this out, the character of Gus is my only OC and it may seem like he is hogging the spotlight from time to time, but it is only because he is a new character, so I want to explore his character so we understand who he is. Also it may be a week or so before I submit another chapter because I'm trying to make sure the meeting of Rick is authentic but does follow that familiar ground of the TV show in a good way, and if people don't like it I'll accept suggestion on how to make it better and try to add it in.**

**Please enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think and tell your friends, if not enough people like my story, I'll struggle to motivate myself but I'll push through because I love the show, I love the Game and I'll probably love the Comics, and I appreciate the support Enjoy.**

Kenny immediately went off to the front of the RV, using a wrench, a screwdriver and a flathead was all he needed to get the job done. It was barely two minutes before Kenny completed his task, he gave a satisfied smirk before he made his way to the roof of the RV, settling back in the lawn chair, the rifle was beside him, where Carley left it for the Kenny since he agreed to do watch duty once they returned, Lee however did not know that.

Lee had been watching Kenny fixing the RV while pausing to look back at Clem, his thoughts were on her all the time, he's taken care of her for three weeks now, he began to slowly accept Clementine as family, fearing they might be dead.

Gus suddenly approached Lee holding a box of what appeared to be food of all sorts, he was humming to a tune that Gus found most enjoyable to listen to; he didn't know the name of the music other than it was the world map theme music in the PS3 exclusive 'Ni No Kuni'.

Gus looked happy, humming but then his face became strained, making pained noises, Gus quickly passed Lee and rushed to drop the box of food in the doorway of the RV, once he put the box down he clutched his lower back where the pain emanated, he looked like a hunchback because of how he was standing, making slight moans.

Lee turned to face Gus, concerned by his sudden pain "Are you OK Gus?" he asked in a friendly and concerned manner, Gus gave off a weak chuckle, trying to put on a brave face, but actually he just didn't want anyone worried but he complied "Yeah, it's just an old spine injury that happened once when I was locked in a public toilet".

Lee gave Gus a rather puzzled look, understandable, Gus further explained "I tried to climb over the locked gate and fell".

Lee has noticed Gus being surprisingly more open with the group, showing a more relaxed, humorous and he was pretty much a source of entertainment when needed, he was fond of playing board games with Clementine and Duck.

Gus was the groups supply runner, a few days ago he made a trip into town, two days ago, he did not say where but he came back with a range of snacks mostly fruity bars with peanuts, Doug kept his distant as he has peanut allergies apparently. Lee considered Gus a good kid who offers to do whatever's best for the group and saw Gus as an important member of the group alongside Katjaa for her medical skills as a vet, Carley's dead eye with a gun and Doug's intellect.

Lee then asked "So what are you doing anyway?" curious as to why he was moving a box of food into the RV, he had a basic idea but he was wanting to confirm it, after Gus finished stretching his back muscles he turned to Lee and said "Well I figured that since the Motor Inn has more than enough food to last us a long while, it might be worth storing some more in the RV".

Lee crossed his arms while Gus was talking, what he said was a very valid point, he had no issue with stockpiling the RV with food, especially if they had to make a quick getaway "That's a good idea" Lee stated showing approval.

Gus formed a light smirk, embarrassed by Lee's praise, and then he added "Just thinking ahead" truth be told he was.

There was a bit of an awkward silence that formed between Gus and Lee, Gus scratched his head and eventually added "So… that was pretty messed up back there" Gus had a slightly nervous and even somewhat concerned facial expression, the topic was not exactly an easy one.

Lee couldn't agree more "Yeah I just hope Katjaa can save that guy" Gus felt the same way, giving Lee a solid nod in agreement, he was mostly staring at the ground as he spoke "Yeah, you and me both, gee what a way to start your day huh?".

"Tel me about it…" Lee replied, truth be told he would rather forget what he did as it reminded him of what he did to the state senator, but he reminded himself that he did it to save the man's life but he wasn't sure.

Looking at Gus for a few seconds, Lee was looking to hear what Gus thought of his actions, despite being 23 years old he was quite observant, intelligent and occasionally aided Lee as a voice of reason or at least when he wasn't goofing around. Lee knew Gus was trying to be positive about the whole apocalypse thing, as he was often joking and messing around when it was appropriate or simply to lighten the mood between conflicting group members.

Lee tilted his head slightly off to the side as he questioned Gus "Do you think cutting that guy's leg off was the right call?". Gus was nervous about voicing his belief but seeing as it was Lee he was talking to, made him feel he could be open toward him, since Lee helped Gus deal with the burial of his friend and supporting when he needed it or when Kenny was talking harsh of him.

Gus collected his thoughts, followed by biting his lip nervously before responding as honestly as he could "No one could have done what you did, me especially, but yeah I think you made the right decision, I mean it was that or left him for dead, but I'm glad we didn't leave them, most would've".

Gus really did believe it was the right thing to do, heck so far everyone did but perhaps to a lesser extent with Kenny who was more for keeping his own ass safe but Lee was more than convinced he made the right call because Doug, Carley, Clementine, Gus and Ben believed it was, obviously, Lee smiled at Gus who just sort of shrugged it off with a smile.

Lee turned to look over his shoulder at Katjaa stitching up the man's amputated leg, it wasn't looking good from this angle, Katjaa was working hastily, Lee's eyes closed halfway, deeply regretting his action "You think he'll make it?" Lee asked, he wasn't sure why but he felt that Gus opinion made a difference as him; Carley and Doug were the most logical of the group.

Gus leaned forward to look at Katjaa at work with the unconscious man in the back of the truck, he couldn't say for sure, but he seemed to believe they didn't have much to worry about but Gus of all people knew about hopes being dashed

"I'm no doctor, but it ain't looking good, but if anyone can save him it's Katjaa, or at least I hope she can" Gus explained, ending with a slightly dodgy tone toward the end "Yeah, me too" Lee complied, giving a solid nod of agreement, he wasn't ready to deal with another death caused by his hands

Gus diverted the conversation as he sensed the uneasiness in Lee's voice, well that and he really wanted to know this "What about that Travis kid?" he asked, at first Lee was sceptical, he hadn't decided yet, however Gus continued, bearing a look of understanding and sympathy "I get that Kenny's looking out for his family and all but it's the right thing to do, heck I'd go find him, but do you think I should? I mean Kenny had a point, I would be putting us all in danger".

Lee realised Gus's concern, and he agreed with him "It's a risk we have to take" Gus agreed but he was conflicted; he wanted to bring back the kid but he didn't want to endanger the group "I was hoping you might go look for the kid" he added, Gus was stunned by the immense trust and faith that Lee just placed with him.

Gus was pleased to have Lee on his side, between him and Kenny, though Lee hardly ever took sides when an argument occurred amongst group members, unless it was best for the group, Gus appreciated it, as he wanted to welcome these new survivors to their group, he nervously replied "Yeah… yeah sure, great, no problem Lee".

Lee was thinking regarding Gus's offer to find that kid; Travis but he feared for Gus's life and his safety "I'd don't like asking you to do this, especially going by yourself but you know Macon ten folds better than any of us do" Gus appreciated Lee's concerns, being the third youngest person in the group made him one to support, still just a kid, the group did their best to support him; like Clem, his family might be dead, Lee didn't want Gus to die.

Gus was in deep, amidst the silence that occurred momentarily before Lee added "But we'll figure it out later, once we get that guy sorted" Gus understood and agreed "Yeah you're right" realising it was too soon to worry about, just yet.

"Oh Shit!" Kenny groaned, instantly alerting Lee who spun around looking up to Kenny thinking he saw a Walker "What is it Kenny, Walkers?" Lee was ready to jump into action and grab the guns however Kenny looked at Lee, seemingly calm but frustrated as he explained "Naw, dropped the fuckin rifle" pointing down at the ground, the rifle laid next to the wheel of the RV.

"You mind pal?" Kenny asked, knowing he wouldn't, Lee replied "Sure" bending down to his knees to pick it up, Gus and Kenny were staring uncomfortably at one another, both had unreadable facial expressions as they simply stared the other person down, Kenny was doing a better job as Gus was not one to hold direct eye contact for too long as it made him uncomfortable and nervous.

Gus was becoming annoyed by Kenny's attitude toward him considering all he'd done for him, Gus was open to a truce but Kenny was more interested in his own ass "Here you go, Ken" Lee's voice ended his train of thought, Kenny lightly smiled as he reached for the rifle, Lee held up for him to grab "Thanks Man" before facing forward, keeping his eye out for Walkers.

Lee turned back to Gus to resume their conversation but Gus figured he should get back to work; Lee was about to say something but Gus spoke first "Well I should get back to storing more food into the RV".

Gus had already started turning around and head to the room where they stored most of their food supplies when Lee replied "Gus" Lee still had a question he had been meaning to ask, Gus was nervous for some odd reason, its Lee why should he be nervous, Gus wondered before he halted and looked back at who took a step or two forward "I never asked but why did you come to our rescue that day we arrived in Macon?".

Gus was unprepared for the question, honestly; on that day he saw them surrounded by Walkers, he did think to leave them but they had Clementine and Duck, kids, he couldn't, he'd never be able to live with himself, letting children die when he had the power to prevent it, he wasn't going to mention that however.

Gus shrugged his shoulders "I don't know" Gus went for a humorous yet somewhat honest side "Guess I thought if I was ever in a situation like that, someone might spare a bullet or two for me, naïve right?" Gus smiled and chuckled trying to lighten the mood, nevertheless Lee smiled as he explained "Well, thanks Gus" Gus simply shook his head in appreciation.

"OK I'm gonna talk to the new kid, we'll talk later" Lee explained, Gus gave a weak smile but as Lee turned around and walk over toward the new kid surrounded by Clem, Duck and Carley.

"Lee, wait!" Gus stated, Lee turned back, Gus looked conflicted, nervous and unsure of himself "Yes Gus" Lee replied in a friendly manner. Gus wasn't sure how to say this, it was something he had been meaning to tell Lee for the last three days, he wasn't sure how to say it at the time or bring it up, and now was no different.

Gus was hesitant to speak, it was a sensitive matter, but nevertheless he knew Lee deserved to know "Um… uh do you remember… when I went into Macon three days ago to bring back more supplies?" Lee was sceptical of the conversation but he replied "Yeah" unsure what Gus had to tell him.

"Well… I… I went back to the Pharmacy… Where your family… worked" Gus was really under pressure, he was very nervous, hoping not to upset Lee in any way.

Gus looked to his left over his shoulder beside the couch was his Campers back pack, he reached for it and brought it in front of himself, he bent down and reached inside his back pack "While I was scavenging for supplies I found".

Gus found what he was looking for… a photo, a photo of Lee and his parents, Lee originally said they were just 'Good people' but given Clementine was there at the time, he understood why he kept it to himself, Gus found himself mesmerised by the photo for some unknown reason, he stared at the photo for a good few seconds before holding it out for Lee "I found this".

Lee was at a loss for words, he looked at the photo Gus held out for him, he was in deep thought, remembering how he always wanted to come back to the pharmacy and help out, but was always too busy.

Lee slowly reached for the photo; he hesitated for a few seconds but eventually held onto a corner, gently prying it away from Gus's grip, until the photo was in his grasp. Lee spent some time observing the photo, lost in his thoughts "I thought you should keep it".

Lee stared at the photo of himself, his mother, father and brother, based on what Gus said three weeks ago, they were gone, there was so much he wanted to tell them, to explain, when the incident with the State Senator, he realised he'd never get the chance to now. Lee stared deeply at the photo, he briefly smiled before the weight hit him and his smile fell to a saddened expression, he wanted to tear it up or at least one quarter of the photo.

Gus moved the boxed goods out of the RV's doorway to grab something else. "I also… found this" Gus stated as he held out what appeared to be a cane, Lee continued to look stunned, he carefully placed the photo in his back pocket, before reaching for the cane, hesitant but accepting as he studied the cane belonging to his father.

"They were really great people… just like you, Lee" Gus spoke with immense sympathy, Lee appreciated it, although he struggled to believe it because of his actions, he also wondered whether Gus knew who he was and what he did, Lee dismissed the thought as paranoia.

Gus then walked away, heading to the room that stored their food to get more supplies onto the RV encase a fast getaway is ever needed, as he passed the kids, Carley's eyes followed him, she had seen Gus give Lee a photo and a walking stick, the cane was obviously important due to Lee holding it in both hands and staring at it intensively.

Carley also had suspicions whether Gus had prior knowledge of Lee and his family because at one point during these three weeks he did state that he lives in Macon which would explain why he has not left, however Carley was more concerned about the possibility of Gus knowing about the State Senator's murder and could potentially cause a stir if he does.

Lee felt the weight of the cane, it wasn't heavy, it was made from wood, the handle was soft, but easy to grip, there was white tape or bandage like material around the centre of the cane.

Lee smiled, remembering the uses of the cane "What's that?" a little girls voice caught his attention, he looked to his right to see Clementine eyeing the cane curiously, it was her curiosity and innocent voice that gave Lee a small amount of joy.

"This was my dad's cane. He'd zip around here on it from time to time" Lee explained, noticing the joy he was getting from memories of his dad, remembering at one a customer had their hands full with some purchased goods, he opened the door with the handle of the cane, smiling at the customer who greatly appreciated it.

"Was he sick?" Clementine asked, obviously confused but he understood, he was impressed that she pointed that, once again proving she was quite observant and clever for her age.

"Nah he was ok, I actually saw him whoop shoplifters with it. This cane's protected my family's drugstore better than any guard dog, ever could" Lee explained, eventually he decided to lean the cane against the RV, next to the door "Plus he knew how to make it look cool. Like you, with your hat".

Clementine blushed a bit, the compliment gave her a cheesy smile, she liked Lee's kind words, and she bowed her head shyly, looking at Lee on an angle, her hands on top of one another "My Dad gave it to me".

Lee wasn't surprised, Clem never seemed too interested in sports, she never really played with the soccer unless Duck insisted, nevertheless Lee was happy to point out "See, Dad's are smart like that".


	6. Chapter 6 What lies beyond? (Part 5)

**JLOGO is back with another delicious chapter, first off; I have a new Reviewer Basedgod; good to have you here, thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you like Gus because he will have a major effect on the story, very later on in the story.**

**Also Guest 1 REW thank you for your continuing support and your suggestions are really creative and I appreciate them, I just want to point out though; I chose to have the timeline say it was 3 weeks after the first week it went to hell, because it is unknown as to when Rick woke up in the Hospital, I figured 4 weeks was appropriate, that way Lee and group could meet up with Rick in Atlanta. But the idea of Clementine meeting Rick whilst lost in those woods was a very good suggestion, I'm impressed but there will be a plot twist in season 2 that requires Sophia to go missing. Additionally Travis being held captive by the bandits is actually something I planned but later on in season 2, good suggestion though. **

**Finally do not hesitate to offer any suggestion you can, I enjoy reading them and it gives me more ideas, and I appreciate them, as they help motivate me to work harder, so thank you and stay tuned because we are reaching the climax of this episode 'What lies beyond?' so sit back and enjoy this chapter. **

After a few brief seconds of silence, between Lee and Clementine, he looked down at the little girl, she gave him a bright smile, Lee returned it, he then looked back at Carley, who was watching the interaction between him and Clem, and she smiled at him as well.

Lee could see Duck continuing to draw something, his legs were waving in the air, slightly rocking side to side, then there was the new kid; Ben. Lee didn't get time to really understand the kind of kid he was, other than a nervous one who doesn't react well to panic or stress, he seemed quick to trust them, which was good and showed real desperation to help his teacher, although he didn't do anything back in the woods, he seemed to be a good enough kid, like Gus.

Lee looked down at Clem, slightly concerned by him being quiet for a bit, he smiled and stated "OK Clem, I'm going to talk to the new kid, you OK to play with Duck some more?".

Clementine him a bright smile "Yep" Lee was glad to hear that, Duck was her friend as was Gus, she enjoyed playing games with Duck most of all but Gus, Carley and Doug were fun too she thought.

* * *

Clementine returned to her spot where she was drawing, which was in between Duck and Ben, she wasn't sure what to think of Ben, he was a stranger but he seemed nice, if a bit quiet but she knew he was troubled by the man not being in good shape, she smiled at the new guy, he saw it but he hardly felt the need or reason to smile, he did manage a weak smile that Clem was able to spot which gave her a speck of happiness.

Lee was walking toward the new kid; Ben, he glanced at Carley as he approached, she looked at Lee and then at Ben through the corner of her eyes, then back at Lee, he realised what she did, and gave her an approving nod, he walked in Ben's direction, hoping to learn more about him, what his story was, whether he could be trusted, though Lee believed he could be, the group may not agree.

Ben was thinking through the mess that happened in the woods, his teacher got trapped by a bear trap, then a bunch of strangers showed up, then his teacher loses his leg then Travis ran off, it was all too much for him to comprehend, he stood there like an idiot, he knew it.

Ben couldn't think of what else he could've done to help out, to make things worse; his best friend abandoned him, now he was surrounded by strangers, he wasn't comfortable around strangers, it made him feel like the black sheep, but he did feel safe with these people, they didn't appear to be like those bandits that raided their camp or… other stuff, he didn't want to think about that.

Ben heard the footsteps of the guy who cut off his teachers leg, he was scared and calm at the same time, he didn't know why, he looked through the corner of his eye, the man stood beside him, Ben was going to introduce himself but he was more worried about his teacher; Mr Parker "Hey is my friend gonna make it?" he asked in a nervous manner but with immense concern in his voice.

Lee stuck with the answer he gave Clem "I don't know, but Katjaa will do her best, I promise" Lee was trying to keep the kid calm, but for obvious reasons he wasn't.

"Can't believe you chopped off his leg" Ben accused, the idea of it sickened and terrified him, the blood almost made him pass out alone, now his teacher had one less leg. Lee looked at Ben, doing his best to  
explain to the new kid "There was no other way", Ben looked unsure and conflicted, Lee felt he did the right thing, but he wished there had been another option.

Lee looked over his shoulder; Kenny was on watch, Doug was slightly visible from where he was standing, but he was working on his alarm project, if he recalled correctly, the kids were colouring and Carley was watching the kids do their drawings but she was listening to Lee and the new kid's conversation, Lee presumed she would, but at least he'd have her to back him up if Kenny feels he couldn't be trusted.

"So, who are you people? Our group's gonna want to know" Lee questioned, the kid looked at him shyly, nervous even, he wasn't in much of a mood to talk, he had Mr Parker and his friend Travis on his mind, but he felt he might be here for a while, that and they helped them, so he decided to explain "My names Ben; Ben Paul".

Lee acknowledged his name, Ben looked over to where his teacher lied unconscious "The man you saved is Mr Parker; the band director at my school" Ben found himself staring down at the ground, the memories were rough "We all came down from Stone Mountain for the playoffs, when… when everything happened".

Lee shook his head, he understood what Ben was trying to say, based on his voice it was bad, rough stuff, he was curious about one thing though, he spoke softly "Were there more of you?". Ben's eyes were weighed down, it wasn't easy for him, but eventually he responded "Yeah Man, there were eight of us, but those things… a-a-and bandits… bandits caught us, but me, Mr Parker and… Travis, we got away… but the others".

Ben couldn't continue, it was too painful to think about, his eyes were too heavy, closing them, remembering the things he saw, Lee placed his hand on the kid's shoulder, his eyes revealed themselves, looking at Lee with a slightly sceptical yet innocent look in his eyes "I'm sorry to hear that, but you'll be safe here" Lee reassured the boy although, he wasn't, but he was thankful for his words, staring back down at the ground as Lee released his hand from Ben's shoulder to give him some space.

* * *

Ben just sat there staring at the ground, silent, Lee decided to leave him alone for a bit while he dwelled on his thoughts, Lee felt sorry for the kid, losing five friends since it all began 'Damn' he thought.

Lee took a few steps away from Ben to check up on Duck, he laid against the concrete, that was the parking lot, drawing what appeared to be Batman, he smirked a little bit at the fact that Duck was an ultimate Batman fan, Lee noticed the grit stains on Duck's checked shirt, Clem's clothes were dirty too, everyone's clothes were dirty, Carley's clothes however were the cleanest, not that he was taking notice.

"How are you doing Duck?" Lee asked with a smile, Duck happily replied "I'm okay… me and Clementine are colouring", Clem just finished her drawing of what appeared to be a cat "Guess what it is" she spoke, wanting to make a game of it, although she showed it to Ben first, who was thinking through some things, he unenthusiastically replied "I don't know… a dog?" Clem lightly giggled, glad she got Ben to speak "Nope" she declared.

Duck's eyes popped wide open in a brightened and conclusive manner "Ooh I know… it's a goat, right?" Clem shook her head sideways, responding in an irritated tone "No", Lee found himself smiling down at Duck who looked unprepared for such a reaction.

Duck resumed drawing, Lee needed a second to compose himself, and shortly after doing so, he looked down at Duck and stated "You were pretty brave, when we brought those people here".

Duck looked over his shoulder with a weird facial expression and replied "That's cause I know Mom can fix him" Lee had to give it to Duck, he had a positive attitude, but given 'Mr Parker's' state, he wasn't so sure Katjaa would be able to save him even with her veterinarian skills.

* * *

Duck resumed colouring his picture of Batman, whilst Lee looked back at Ben, seeing how depressed and quiet the boy was being, made him sympathise with him, Ben looked so alone, detached from the world, Lee felt the right thing to do was reassure him that it would all work out in the end.

Lee stood beside Ben, who looked over his shoulder, Lee then responded softly "How you uh… holding up kid?", Ben's reaction was a nervous and unsure one "Uh well, I… I keep wondering if I could have done something to help, you know? Some kind of… I don't know… something".

Lee recalled the event yet again, he was frozen, he didn't do anything but panic, Lee couldn't blame the kid, him, Travis and Mr Parker were unarmed, and one was trapped, there wasn't anything he could've done, Lee reassured Ben, stating "I'm sure you did all you could", Ben wasn't convinced, knowing he could've done better "Yeah maybe".

Lee was about to explain to Ben, that he shouldn't worry about his friend but Gus approached the circle; Lee, Ben, Carley, Duck and Clementine, Ben heard him coming and looked in his direction, Lee noticed a packet of plain chips in one hand and a bottle of water in the other hand.

Gus suddenly halted at Ben's side, he was a little concerned, until Gus spoke up "Hey I brought you something to eat, figure you might be hungry" holding out his hands, holding the chips and water, Ben was hesitant to accept, he didn't know them yet, unsure whether they could be trusted, although his stomach was in agonising hunger pains.

Lee noticed Ben's hesitation; he could tell Ben hadn't eaten in a while, knowing Ben needed to keep his strength up "If your camp got raided, it probably means you haven't eaten in a while". Ben bowed his head in defeat, what choice did he have? "I AM really hungry" he even sounded weak as he reached for the chips and water from Gus, once he did, Ben looked up at Gus, a smile appeared on his face "Thanks" he said.

"No problem" replied Gus whilst pulling a crate closer, he sat down and added "By the way, names Gus" Ben shook his head and replied "I'm Ben, n-nice to meet you" he spoke almost nervously with a hint of stuttering, he then resumed staring at the ground, however Lee's voice caught his attention "Relax, we'll get your friend back to normal in no time" delivering a reassuring smile toward Ben.

"I sure hope so" he replied in an unsure manner of speaking, Lee looked over at Doug, who was kneeling by his alarm system, he couldn't quite tell what Doug was doing, however he probably wouldn't understand if Doug told him anyway.

"Hey um" Ben's voice grasped at Lee's full attention, however he struggled to get the words out of his mouth, on the count of being a bit scared "I… I was wondering um… what about my friend, T-Travis?".

Lee looked to Gus, who had a look of understanding, Ben looked up at Lee with a concerned expression, Lee simply responded "Don't worry, me, Gus and the group are going to work something out, once we have a plan, we'll bring him back" Ben was awestruck, while trying to contain the joy he felt from hearing those words "R-R-Really?".

Ben's facial expression was shocked, his eyes bulged, his jaw ajar, unable to comprehend what Lee just said, suddenly Gus gave a light pat on his shoulder to get his attention, which it did, Ben was sceptical for a second until Gus replied "We'll help your friend… but I know those woods better than anyone, so once we get your teacher up and moving, I'll go find him, I'll bring him back".

Ben couldn't believe his ears, he smiled whilst trying to express his gratitude but the words wouldn't leave his mouth, eventually he said "Wow… thanks man", Gus smiled in return and gave him a thumbs up, Lee was delighted to see Ben smiling, Carley was impressed by how Gus handled the situation, lightly smiling.

"So uh how long… have you guys been here?" Ben suddenly questioned Lee, Carley and Gus, out of simple curiosity, Lee and Carley found the question a little strange, they both gave each other a look of scepticism.

Gus however was more open to getting to know the new guy, so he responded "I've been here since the beginning, four weeks ago, I barricaded the heck out of this place, along with two other friends; one of them left to find some friends in Atlanta… but my uh other friend… didn't make it… everyone else here showed up three weeks ago, and we all decided to stick together until a cure o-or evacuations start happening".

Ben just finished eating half the bag of chips whilst Gus was talking, he had mixed emotions from Gus's explanation, he felt bad for Gus losing his friends, he could relate but he was glad to hear that they were going to stay together, as it reminded him about how he, Mr Parker, Travis and five other students chose to remain together, unfortunately, now it was looking like he was the only one left, if Mr Parker was still alive as well as Travis.


	7. Chapter 7 What lies beyond? (Part 6)

**JLOGO is back again, first of; Thank you Guest 1 REW, I'm glad you like Gus, I just want to say that Gus is the equivalant of Glenn, in Lee's group, yes the group will be going back to Hershel's Farm, yes there will be some tension between Hershel and Kenny, and Lee's identity will be kept in hush - hush tones for a while. I'm glad to have such a loyal reviewer, I love reading your reviews, don't worry about spreading the word, I'll let nature take its course. It might be a week or two before I add another chapter, as I am working hard to make sure Lee and Rick's encounter is a good and interesting one, but don't worry the next chapter will be awesome, let's just say something happens, also I meant to say that the reason the bandits will not hold Travis hostage at the Motor Inn is because only Gus knows about them, but has never actually come face to face with them, and the bandits know nothing of the Motor Inn or the group. Regardless I hope you enjoy this chapter and I can't wait to hear what you think of this Chapter, Adios. **

As Gus and Ben engaged in conversations, Lee started walking in Doug's direction, receiving a nod from Kenny as he passed the RV, it was a friendly nod they'd often do to affirm their friendship, Kenny then looked to road, no Walkers, seeing no Walkers made him extra cautious and paranoid as well, his duty to protect Katjaa and Duck was his top priority and wouldn't let a bunch of monsters hurt them or anyone else, he swore to god of this.

Doug was fumbling around with the alarm system, reaching for another piece of string for another bell; Lee was standing behind him, watching him work for a minute before he decided to get his attention "Hey Doug" Lee's voice startled him, causing him to jump a little, his head impacted the bell, making him groan in pain "Ooh… aaahh" whilst rubbing his sore spot.

Once Doug collected his thoughts, he stood up "What's up Lee?" he asked in a greeting manner, Lee realised that him and Doug haven't really talked much, he liked Doug, he is a good guy, Lee almost forgot why he came over here.

"Think Katjaa can save that guy?" Lee asked as he crossed his arms, prepared for a long chat due to Doug's constant and long drawn out descriptions, Doug was quick to respond to Lee's question with a hint of uncertainty mixed with keen observation and understanding "Maybe, I mean, I now about computers, but that doesn't mean I can fix a calculator".

Lee felt the urge to chuckle regarding Doug's statement "But you probably COULD fix a calculator" he stated rather courteously, whilst uncrossing his arms, Doug was calculating the probability of Lee's logic and replied "Well yeah, good point".

Lee was looking at the bells attached to a wooden plaque on the wall, he wasn't sure how it worked and he had been wondering "What are you working on?" he asked, even though he knew what it was based on what Carley and Gus had told him, but he figured Doug would explain in more detail.

Doug was eager to explain "I've worked up a little 'warning system' for outside" gesturing toward his invention; Lee was intrigued and was interested to know more "How does it work?".

Doug felt his alarm system would benefit the group greatly, showing that he could pull his weight and contribute in a meaningful way, as he was not keen to use guns, he also figured that it was a great way to impress Carley, he hoped "I setup trip lines at four locations, and each one triggers one of these four bells, so-".

"So we'll know where they are and how long we have, Smart" Lee commented, Doug agreed with a nod "Exactly… unfortunately it's still in the beta stage of development" regardless Lee was impressed, knowing Doug it wouldn't take long until it would be finished.

Lee decided to press Doug on a more personal level, getting to him better, he was a decent guy and Lee felt bad for not trying to get to know him sooner "So what's your story Doug? You a local?" the question hit Doug as slightly odd but he didn't mind giving Lee some background information

"No, my uncle did tech stuff here in Macon and it just made sense, I had only been here a month and then obviously this pandemic took form and while trying to find a safer place to hunker down, I met Carley, then you guys and that leads us to now".

Lee understood, nodding in confirmation, "Well you certainly know your way around mechanical engineering" Doug smirked, and replied "I took up shop classes and engineering during college, I was intrigued by how our tech operates, how it functioned, I picked up some useful skills whilst doing so".

Lee figured Doug was a tech savvy kind of person, he knew that Doug was currently introducing the idea of connecting a generator to the barb wire on the wall to produce electricity to keep Walkers away from the Motor Inn, although he was thinking of scrapping the idea due to lack of tools and uncertainty, regarding whether or not it was possible.

Doug found himself looking over in Katjaa's direction, trying to save the man's life, remembering how Lee, Gus and the others came to his aid, he and Carley would have met their end on the roof of that van, had it not been for them "I owe you a lot for you saving me and Carley" he suddenly commented which caught Lee off guard.

Lee remembered; the streets of Macon crawling with Walkers, Carley and Doug trapped atop the van, a Walker attacked Duck and then Gus showed up to save them, he wouldn't forget Gus's bravery and Lee wouldn't let anyone forget it, Lee then replied "Don't forget Gus, his quick thinking made it possible".

Doug smiled as he shook his head, Lee was correct, Gus saved them and took them in, but Lee was also there, and he helped them also, and he wouldn't forget that, Doug simply responded "That's true but nevertheless I'm grateful" Lee smiled in response to Doug's kind words.

* * *

"Ken! Lee! Come here, please!" Katjaa's voice hollered out, also attracting everyone else's curiosity, including Ben's, who Carley was keeping an eye on and he looked worried, it didn't last before Ben was staring back at the ground.

Lee looked in Katjaa's direction before looking back at Doug, he understood already, and nodded his head, Lee had to check in with Katjaa "Take it easy Doug" he responded, Doug turned himself around, and kneeled down by the bells and continued to work.

Kenny heard his wife's voice, and immediately assumed the worse, he climbed down from the RV, leaving the rifle beside the lawn chair and walked over to the truck, his wife and the patient, Lee followed close behind, ready to receive whatever news he was given.

Kenny saw the man's body, he didn't look alive, he asked in a saddened manner "He didn't make it, did he?" Katjaa lowered her head, looking at the one legged man through the corner of her eye and responded "He…lost too much blood".

Lee bowed his head out of respect, Kenny however was instantly pissed "God dammit" he cursed, before walking away "I'm getting tired of this shit" he unhappily commented whilst throwing his arms out, exasperated, Katjaa was worried "Ken, come back, there's nothing…" she didn't know what else, Lee intervened, waving his hand out "Let him go, Katjaa".

Katjaa didn't like seeing her husband so aggravated but she was worried about him "But-" she responded, but Lee cut her off "He just needs time. It's been a rough morning" he couldn't have been further from the truth.

Katjaa looked at the deceased man, wishing she could've done more to save him, but her skills were for animals, even with the skills she had picked up from treating people's injuries, it wasn't enough "That man you brought… I tried, but he was never going to survive".

Lee didn't like hearing those words "Well… at least he's not our problem anymore" he pointed out sympathetically, although hating himself for pointing it out, he had his doubts that the man would make it, but he had faith in Katjaa's abilities 'guess it wasn't enough' he thought to himself.

Katjaa looked like she was about to tear up, although forcing herself not to, she paused, then she looked over at Ben who sat silently with his eyes planted on the ground "What about the kid?" she asked, Lee had been giving it some thought, now he knew what his response was.

Lee was about to respond, but something caught his ears, he didn't know quite what it was, then there was a sudden loud ear piercing groan and snarling coming from behind Katjaa, 'what the-' then suddenly a pair of pale skinned white claw-like hands reached up and grabbed her from behind, holding onto her face and shoulder.

Katjaa screamed, Lee instantly panicked, it was the man that just died, he turned? "Shit! Katjaa!" Lee immediately raced to her side, trying to force it off of Katjaa, who was defenceless while it attempted to chomp at the back of her head.

Lee was beyond confused. He was dead, and as far as he knew, the man was never bitten, but he was a Walker, plain as day, skin was pale, eye were bloodshot white, how? He kept asking himself while trying to force the Walker off Katjaa.

Gus, Carley and Kenny immediately came around the corner of the RV, Doug saw it all, they were all dumbfounded and shocked, Kenny froze by the sight. Lee used all his strength to finally shove it off of Katjaa, Lee immediately turned around to Gus, Carley and Doug "The Axe! Hurry!" before the Walker grabbed Lee and pulled him closer and landing on the back of the truck, struggling to keep it away from his face, he strategically placed his hands on the Walker's shoulders to hold it back, waiting for someone to help him.

Gus was first to reach for the axe, leaning against the front of the RV, he picked it up and raced to Lee's aid, Carley ran into the RV to grab her gun and fresh ammo, Doug panicked, looking for something to use, all he could find was a plank of wood, he grabbed it and ran over to the scene.

Lee was moaning and groaning fiercely trying to keep it away from him, he couldn't fight back, he was trying to stall for time, until someone comes to his aid, he then began ramming the Walker's head into the right, side of the truck, blood gushed out of its head and leaving a huge stain. Lee kept repeating the action, ramming its head into the truck's side, hoping to kill it but it wasn't working and only made it more aggressive.

Suddenly, Lee turned to the side and saw Gus rush in with the axe in hand, he was equally afraid of axing Lee as he was being bitten "Lee! Move! Move!" he shouted, preparing to swing.

Lee's arms were beginning to ache, but he managed to use all of his remaining strength to push it off of him and the Walker smashed against the back of the truck cab. At that time Gus swung the axe, but the Walker's head slid away from the axe's reach, missing it and breaking the glass, making matters worse "Damn! It's stuck!" Gus frantically began to pry it from its lodged position.

The walker payed no attention to Gus and resumed its attack on Lee, inching its way closer to him, Gus was trying desperately to pry it loose to help Lee but proved more difficult than it looked.

As the Walker inched closer, Lee's reflexes kicked in, using his leg to keep the Walker at bay, but that didn't stop it from flailing its arms at Lee "I got him" Doug cried as he appeared from the left side of the truck and ploughing a plank of wood over the Walker's head, but the plank was weak and smashed upon impact, causing Doug to fall backwards and the Walker was unfazed by the blow and kept trying to rip into Lee.

Lee kept holding the Walker back with his foot until he saw the perfect chance to kick it in the face, it was momentarily stunned and fell face first onto his leg, it grabbed his foot and tried to sink its teeth into it, but Lee wiggled his foot and got another good kick to its face but once it recovered, it tried again, Lee delivered another blow to its head, more powerful than his previous kicks, that sent it ploughing into the back of the truck's cab once again.

Gus was still having trouble forcing the axe from its lodged position, while trying to keep an eye on the Walker and Lee, even with one leg, that thing was dangerous and surprisingly strong from where he was standing, as it was obviously draining a lot of Lee's strength and his options were exhausted, Gus was wondering where was Carley?

While the Walker was recovering, Lee took the opportunity to back away, the Walker was creeping up closer, but then Lee didn't feel metal underneath him, he fell backwards, landing onto the rough concrete of the parking lot, landing on his side, he groaned by the force it did to his shoulder, it hurt.

Lee was rolling onto his back when the Walker followed his move and fell on top of him, luckily he managed to catch it's head with his hands, keeping it from taking a bite out of him, he groaned trying everything to stop it but its arm continued to flail around, he did the only thing he could and thrust his thumbs through the Walker's dead white eyes causing blood to pour out, but it wasn't enough to stop it as it attempted to bite him again.

Lee knew he was completely out of options now, but then out of the corner of his eyes, Carley stood above him, reloading her gun, "Shoot it! Shoot it!" Lee desperately cried, she then planted the tip of the gun against the Walker's cranium and fired, instantly killing it.

Lee lifted and shoved the Walker off of him, before sitting up to catch his breath, Carley kneeled beside him "You OK?" concern edging in her voice, Lee was exhausted, breathing heavily, he answered in between breaths "Yeah… thanks".

Gus leaned over the side of the truck and finally managed to pull the axe free, he walked over to Lee as he stood up, Gus's heart was pumping like crazy, "Man that was intense, you OK Lee? You almost got chomped", Lee simply responded by saying "I'm fine… but how did he come back… a Walker?" he was baffled, did the kid not know? Or was he too afraid to say anything?

Lee wasn't the only one thinking the same thing, Carley was wondering why the new kid would keep something like that a secret, she had some idea why but she also figured that Katjaa would have found a bite while stitching him up, Gus was more than a little confused as well, maybe he didn't know, he kept telling himself.

Kenny held his wife close to him, offering her comfort after almost getting killed by the man she tried to save, that just died and became a Walker, she was tearing up in Kenny's arms, and he gently stroked her back to ease the fright she went through.

Ben had heard all the noise but didn't want to see his teacher get put down like an animal, once he heard a gunshot, he assumed the worst was over, he walked over to the scene, his teacher lied dead on the ground, Ben closed his eyes to let it all sink in, he opened them, wishing his teacher didn't have to die this way.

Kenny saw Ben through the corner of his eye, his insides burned with anger, gritting his teeth and releasing his wife "YOU ASSHOLE!" Kenny shouted while stomping toward the boy, Ben instantly jumped, frightened, he stood there frozen, his hands floating out in a bracing manner "Huh?" he blurted in a weak manner.

Kenny was in no mood for bullshit "Why didn't you tell us he was bitten?" he growled furiously through his teeth, Ben had no idea what he was talking about "What?!" he retorted, his voice sounded rather broken.

Lee, Carley, Doug and Gus were in awe, Gus wanted to intervene, as he had a chance to talk to Ben and he didn't seem like the type of person to lie about something so serious, Carley shook her head, exasperated by Kenny's constant foul temper, especially toward the new kid, Lee wanted to say something but Katjaa was almost bitten because Ben didn't speak up and felt Kenny had every right to mad.

"He was bitten, and you didn't say a goddamn word!" Kenny growled further, Ben shook his head, panicking, petrified, horrified, all of those things, he tried to explain but the words wouldn't leave his mouth, he was paralysed, Gus sudden commented "Maybe he didn't know" Kenny beared his teeth at Gus, instantly shutting him up.

Ben then declared through his weak panicky voice "But he wasn't bitten, I swear!" he was almost begging at this point, Kenny didn't believe him, there was no other explanation as to how the teacher came back from dead "Well your "not-bitten" friend here came back to life and tried to kill my wife!" he was steaming mad at this point. Katjaa was somewhat frightened yet touched by her husband's commitment to her safety, but wasn't sure the boy deserved it.

"What? Wait, you all don't know?" he responded, somewhat puzzled, but judging from everyone's blank expressions, he guessed they didn't "What the hell are you talking about?" Kenny questioned, the whole group's attention turned to Ben, the spotlight now on him, a half circle of people formed around him, Lee, Carley, Doug and Gus on right, Kenny and Katjaa on the left, Duck and Clementine were standing by the front of the RV, knowing they shouldn't be, because it was adult business, but they wanted to know what Ben meant.

"It's not the bite that does it!"

Everyone became silent, no words were spoken, Ben couldn't tell whether they were simply shocked or waiting for him explain in further detail.

"You come back no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's just what happens. It's gonna happen to ALL of us".

Ben scanned everyone's individual reaction, everyone was quiet, trying to comprehend the information that was just given to them, it was horrifying, they knew now that a Walker bite wasn't the only way to turn, if you die, you come back as Walker, it was difficult to take lightly.

Lee was stunned, he didn't want to believe it, but he did "We're all infected? Everyone?" Lee asked, trying to deny it but it was true, Ben was telling the truth "I-I guess so… I don't know I… All I know is that I've seen people turn who I know were never bitten".

Lee shook his head sideways, not sure what to think "God help us" he commented, Doug had been calculating the probability of what Ben said, as the truth, it was plausible he believed "It makes sense. In those first few days it spread so fast".

Everyone's attention was now on Doug, soaking in his conclusion, Carley then added to Doug's statement "Car accidents, suicides, everything was making more of them" the look of awe was evident on everyone's faces

Gus seemed to be in deep thought, his face was shocked, he realised something, the words weakly escaped his mouth "Could that be… what happened to my friend?", everyone's eyes switched to him, Lee knew that his friend's death still weighed heavily upon his shoulder's.

Gus was transfixed, he never saw a bite, or a scratch on his friend, no one had the words that were capable of easing Gus's pain, it was like an aching pain that boiled his stomach, Carley looked at Gus sympathetically, he was still a kid and a very emotional one at that, noticing how he constantly masking his pain with a smile.

"Gus are you-" Carley was cut off, he held his hand up, stopping her from continuing, he appeared to be resisting the urge to tear up, he tried to say he was fine, but it was obvious that he wasn't, Ben knew how it felt for Gus, he had seen some messed up things in these first four weeks, he understood the pressure of losing his friends.

Ben lowered his head out of respect for Gus who was trying it take it all in, he received a look from Lee, he was like a 'continue' look, he wasn't sure he should but Gus looked like he was struggling to hold it together so he broke the silence, and explained further "When I first saw it happen, we were all hiding out in a gym and everybody thought we were finally safe".

Ben took a short breath, crossing his arms before continuing "But one of the girls, Jenny Pitcher I think, I guess she couldn't take it. She took some pills; A lot of them. Someone went into the girls' room the next morning and...God".

Everyone bowed their heads, sinking in all this information, it was rough; to think that being bitten was one of two ways to turn, Lee accepted it, now knowing that they all had to be more careful from now on.


	8. Chapter 8 What lies beyond? (Part 7)

**What up? Walking Dead fans, first off; new reviewers; Jankmaster98 it's good have you aboard and I'm glad to hear you like my story so far and I appreciate your feedback, as for Carl and Duck; expect to see some good moments between these two, as for the Rick, Shane and Lee thing, we'll just have to wait and see. Jamini1227 thanks for joining the fun and to answer your question; Sorry your points are quite valid but Lee will be meeting Rick very soon; because if I did it your way; the story would be long and drawn out and I struggle to deviate from an already awesome setting by the TV show, but good points, I think you'll like what I've got planned regardless.**

**Guest 1 Rew; loving your reviews, suggestions and statements, yes I saw the new episode too, it was awesome to see Hershal really stepping up and the Governor is BACK, and yes the prison will be show up 100%, I've got many ideas planned; I don't want to say much but one of changes include Axel; the prisoner, I can't say what though. Also I'm glad to hear you left Lilly on the side of the road, as I've done the same every time I play the game, I hated her for killing Carley, I cried so hard when she killed her, but Lilly and Larry will be in my story, sorry BUT I think you'll like how I introduce them into the story. About Doug; two chapters from now he does introduce a familiar strategy from episode 2 of the game, but it's not a new invention, but your right and I'll think of something, but for now enjoy an action packed chapter**

**Warning: Strong Violence, Blood and Gore, so if you have a weak stomach, I recommend you not read, for those still here; enjoy.**

"Oh shit!" Gus's voice cried out as a loud mixture of gurgling noises followed "WALKERS!" he added, everyone looked to the wall, a dozen or more Walkers were piling up against the wall "Oh fuck!" Kenny cried out, Ben was horrified, almost paralysed, Clementine, Duck and Katjaa were backing away, closer to the RV, while Lee, Kenny, Gus and Carley; stood their ground, trying to process what was happening.

A Walker was squeezing through the barbed wire, getting cut up in the process, Gus reached for his shotgun resting on his back, the Walker was flailing its arms at him, Gus pulled back the clip, and fired, blowing its head clean off, the body fell through the barbed wire, and blood spilled over the ground, Gus formed a disgusted look as it began to spread further along the parking lot.

"Everybody get back!" Lee shouted, Gus was holding his shotgun up, making sure none were getting through "Oh God, oh god" Ben stated, in his frightened voice "They're getting through!" Carley shouted as she fired a shot to a Walker's head, instant kill, the body fell backwards but another one took its place.

They all backed away from the wall, they were breaking through the wall, Lee saw two more Walker's getting in, Gus managed to shoot one of them, Carley aimed for the other one who was climbing to its feet, she fired once, it missed as the Walker rocked its head to one side, but the second shot, hit its mark.

"There's too many of them" stated Lee, and more were coming from the woods, three more had managed to break through a section of the wall that was only safeguarded by planks of wood "Fuck it! Lee, we need to cut our losses", Lee looked into Kenny's eyes, he knew what he meant, there was no other choice, this place was as good as taken, Lee shook his head "You're right".

"OK, everyone in the RV!" Kenny declared, Katjaa didn't hesitate for a second, and lead Duck and Clementine into the RV, Gus fired another shot at a Walker who began climbing over the barbed wire, he wasn't about to let this place fall without putting up one heck of a fight.

"I'll get the RV moving, you, Carley and Gus, shoot as many as these fuck's as you can!" Kenny declared, Carley fired at another walker who entered via broken wooden part of the wall "With pleasure" she replied, before Kenny rushed into the RV, to the driver's seat, he twisted the key, nothing, again, nothing, again, nothing "Goddamn hunk of crap!" he cursed aloud, slamming his fist on the wheel in frustration.

Lee swung the axe, nailing the incoming Walker in the side of the head, Lee backed up as it fell to the ground, blood gushed from the gaping hole and surrounding his feet, Lee turned around to see Kenny, working on the engine, wondering "Kenny, how we looking?", Kenny was trying desperately to fix the problem, but he had no idea what the problem was "The fucking engine is taking a shit up dry creek!".

Before Lee was able to respond, another Walker was about to be on top of him, but he shifted the position of his elbows to deliver a wallop to the Walker with bottom of the axe's handle, sending it to the ground and shifting his elbow's position again and swung the tip of the axe into the centre of the Walker's forehead "Make it quick, Kenny!" he shouted.

While Kenny tried to repair the RV's thought to be fixed engine, Carley and Gus were firing at Walker's attempting to or had made it through the wall, Lee was killing Walkers at close range as he did not have a gun on him and couldn't afford the time to get one.

Gus fired another powerful blow to a 'too close, for comfort' Walker, but another one was right behind it, he aimed, and pulled the trigger 'CLICK' "Aw crap" he replied to himself, but just before the Walker could embrace Gus as a meal, he pulled the shotgun back and swung the barrel of the gun forward, and uppercut the Walker and sending it to the ground, before the Walker was able to recover, Gus stood over it, and stated "Eat this" and thrust the barrel of the gun, into its skull, bloodying the tip of his shotgun.

Gus was quick to reload his shotgun with the remaining six shells he kept in his left pocket, and a few more in his right pocket, whilst at the same time Carley was forced to reload, but she had two Walkers coming at her, Lee caught sight of this and immediately started prying the tip of his axe from his latest kill, but it was stuck, he looked back at Carley; she was backing away from the two approaching Walker's whilst trying to reload a fresh clip into her gun, but just as she almost got it in "Shit!" she dropped it and couldn't pick it up without getting bitten.

Carley was out of ammo, she scanned her surroundings, there was nothing she could use, whilst backing up she found herself leaning against the RV, Lee finally pried the axe free, but Carley knew it was too late, they were just about on top of her, she was ready to embrace death.

Suddenly from behind the RV came Doug, armed with nothing but a wrench, charged and ploughed that wrench into the head of the Walker closest to Carley, sending it to the ground, Lee came to their aid and swung the axe for another clean headshot at the Walker, except bloody. Doug already managed to knock the second Walker to the ground with his trusty wrench, it wasn't dead yet, he hesitated for a few seconds but fought through his disgust and stomped its head in.

Carley was awed by the fact that this dorky guy; Doug, had saved her again and was now stomping a Walker's brains out on her behalf, she couldn't be more touched than she was right now, she quickly picked up the clip she had dropped and reloaded her empty pistol and approached Doug who took a few seconds to let his first kill sink in.

Doug had never killed a person or a Walker before, unless one mentioned 'World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Halo, Call of Duty, or the Elder Scrolls V; Skyrim', but in real life, this was his first, he didn't take it lightly.

Carley stood beside him, her hands resting on her hip, smiling directly at him, he noticed this and looked at her face, "You always that good with a wrench?" she asked teasingly while smiling, Doug couldn't respond, he was too nervous, he simply chuckled.

Just then Carley held up her gun in Doug's direction, he didn't even have time to react as she fired, he flinched, but upon realising he was not the target, he looked to his left to see a Walker collapse to the ground, Doug looked at Carley, stunned, Carley kept her gun aimed at the wall as two more walkers made it over the barbed wire, scarring their dead skin, she then looked at Doug through the corner of her eye, her red lips formed a smile, she then winked at him seductively.

Lee was backing up closer to the RV, three Walkers were coming for him, Kenny was scrambling like mad to fix the engine, Ben was watching Kenny, nervous as the Walkers approached but he was unsure whether they would allow him to come with them.

"How's it looking Ken?" shouted Lee whilst swinging the axe through another Walker's forehead, he kicked its dead corpse away to retrieve his axe from its lodged position in the Walker's head "Nothing's working dammit!" he cursed whilst tightening any screws, hoping for some kind of miracle.

"We can't hold out much longer Kenny!" Lee replied after swinging his axe at a Walker and slicing it's head off, "Fuck gimme a damn minute!" Kenny shouted at Lee, whilst another Walker was creeping up on Lee from the left, ignoring Carley who hadn't seen it, Lee didn't have enough time for a successful swing, but managed to perform a good enough kick to knock it to the ground, Carley heard something behind her, turned around, she saw the Walker as it pointlessly reached for her but it wasn't close enough, she aimed her gun at it, and fired, splattering the Walker's brain all over the ground.

Doug suddenly appeared by Kenny's side, with his bloodied wrench in hand "I'll handle this" he stated, Kenny wasn't sure what was going through Doug's head but despite his doubts about him, he couldn't deny that Doug was smart and could probably get the RV going, so without hesitation he stepped aside.

Kenny was at the door of the RV, but before he got inside, he saw Ben standing close to Doug, Ben was looking fidgety and scared, lost even, he was about to step inside and forget about him, mainly because a part of him believed that it was Ben's fault for what almost happened to Katjaa. However Ben did inform them of being bitten wasn't the only way to turn, he leaned out and shouted "Come on, kid, get in the RV!".

Ben was conflicted, he looked to see Gus being mobbed by Walker's, at least four, but managing to hold them back, but more Walkers were breaking through the wall, too many to handle and Lee had a Walker leaning over him trying to bite into his flesh, he was being backed up against the RV when he heard Kenny's voice telling the kid to get inside the RV, he was surprised that Kenny was letting Ben come with them.

Lee was using the axe to keep the Walker off of him, but eventually he threw all his strength at the Walker and forced it off, sending it to the ground, Carley had just managed to shoot and kill two more Walker's, Lee observed their surroundings, their home for the past three weeks, invaded by the Walkers and **everything they fought so hard to keep out, just found its way in.**

Walkers were everywhere, and they stood no chance at killing them all, Carley was even ready to call quits and get the hell away from the Motor Inn, then suddenly; the engine sputtered and hummed, Doug had used his wrench to give the RV's engine a good whack, quite humorous but it worked "Well fuckin done Doug!" he stated, Doug smiled at Lee and replied "Thanks Lee".

Carley had made her way around the RV, standing by the RV's door, upon being congratulated by Lee, she leaned close to Doug and whispered "My hero" he chuckled nervously once again, but the constant groans from incoming Walkers destroyed the moment for Carley, but relieved Doug due to his shy nature around her.

"Everyone hurry the fuck up and get in!" Kenny's voice hollered from driver's seat, Carley got in first, followed by Doug, Ben hesitated for a second but after seeing just how many Walkers were coming, he rushed inside the RV.

Lee had just finished off another Walker drawing closer to the RV, when he noticed Gus being surrounded by five Walkers "GUS!" he cried, he wanted to do something but he wasn't sure he could.

Gus however was fighting back the Walkers with a vengeance, he was angry; he beared his teeth in hatred of the Walkers as they reached and grabbed for him, Gus lunged the barrel of shotgun at one Walker, sending it to the ground, but not before knocking over the two drums, he slightly swayed to his left and fired his shotgun at a Walkers head, then another Walker had a firm rotten hand on his shoulder, it lunged forward to take a chunk out of Gus.

However before the Walker was able to bite him, Gus managed to elbow the Walker in the face, practically stunning it and falling to the ground, another Walker was about to fall on top of him, luckily Gus was able to hold the shotgun up as it fell, the barrel of gun held it off as the Walker mindlessly tried chewing on the barrel of the gun, to get to Gus, but to no avail as he blew it brains out.

Gus just finished stomping the head of the Walker he elbowed before, when another Walker came in from the left, shredded chest from climbing over the barbed wire, Gus hadn't seen it as it came closer, it grabbed his arm, alarming and startling Gus as it was ready to take a bite, but then something cut into the back of the Walker's head, as it fell to the ground, lifeless, huge v shaped cut from the Walkers head , Gus looked to see it was Lee who saved him with his axe.

Lee pulled back on the axe and kicked the Walker's dead body forward, however the Walker still had a hold on Gus's arm, he looked disgusted as did Lee, before doing anything, Gus turned his head in the direction of another Walker and fired his shotgun, blowing its head clean off.

As Gus pried the Walkers dead pale skinned hands off his arm, he declared in humorous manner "No prom for you" he smiled at his own joke, scanning his arm; he found no bites or scratches, he sighed a breath of relief.

Lee and Gus turned to the wall, all the weaker parts made from wood and steel sheets were torn down by the mindless but persistent Walkers, there were at least thirty Walkers and counting as more of them showed up, they were coming from the woods, 'They must have followed us back here' Lee was thinking, although it didn't seem to matter anymore.

Gus pulled back the clip, so that he was ready to fire again, although he wasn't finished fighting the incoming Walkers, he was smart enough to back up closer to the front of the RV.

Gus then felt a hand on his shoulder, he at first assumed it was a Walker, but it felt like a gentle grab, upon looking to his left he realised it was Lee, staring at him with a serious yet sympathetic look "Gus, its over…" Gus stared at Lee, speechless, he didn't want to believe those words, Lee then added in a firm tone "We have to go, now!".

Gus was torn on what to do, he wasn't giving up the Motor Inn, the only home closest to his old one, the thought of leaving Macon horrified him, his whole life took place in Macon and now he had to choose to stay and fight and most likely die, or go with Lee and the group and survive longer, hopefully.

As he scanned the approaching Walkers, he realised he was hopelessly outnumbered, he didn't want to leave, but he was tremendously afraid of being left alone, he was fidgeting nervously and after a few brief seconds of silence in his mind, he looked to Lee and replied "Your right, let's get outta here" although he sounded rather unenthusiastic and conflicted, Lee smiled "Move yer fuckin asses, we gotta get the hell outta here!" they heard Kenny shout from the RV's window.

Upon hearing Kenny's order, Lee and Gus were backing up closer to the RV, Gus fired two more shots thus killing two more Walker's before climbing into the RV, he grabbed Lee's axe as he passed it to him, Lee had his arms holding onto the side of the RV's doorway about to jump in when he looked back and saw something where Carley, Clem, Ben and Duck were seated.

Lee could feel the RV starting to slowly move, Lee panicked, realising he couldn't leave without this particular object; he backed up and dashed for the spot where the thing he was attempting to grab was; the circle where Carley Ben and the kids were seated.

Gus, Ben, Doug, Carley and Clementine were instantly shocked; Ben, Doug and Carley had jumped from their seats when Lee turned around. They all thought he was crazy "Lee, Shit" Carley replied clearly concerned as well as confused, "LEE!" Clementine cried in a desperate whimpering scream, "Lee what are you doing!?" Gus shouted through pure despair of what was happening.

Carley had placed her hand on Clementine's back, to comfort and keep her from jumping from the RV, Clementine looked horrified, almost in tears, Doug's face was stunned, his jaw was ajar and his eyes widened in shock, Ben looked as scared as he did when Gus cried 'Walkers!', he stood beside Clementine and Gus, who was standing by the side of the doorway, frantically trying to figure out what he was doing.

Kenny didn't know what was happening, "Ken!" Katjaa spoke and pointed out her window, Kenny leaned closer to Katjaa, who had Duck in her lap, holding him, upon seeing Lee outside the RV, his eyes widened "The fuck?" he cursed, Katjaa covered Duck's ears, even though it was common to Duck for his dad to swear.

Kenny was temporarily transfixed until the RV hit a Walker, the RV shook fiercely, "Shit!" he blurted out as he tried to take control of the RV but he was forced to drive through the herd of Walkers "Everyone hold onta something, things are about to get bumpy" he declared as he was ploughing through the herd, he turned the wheel inches to the left, so they could fit through the part of the fence that was demolished by the Walkers.

As Lee leaped from the RV, he could hear everyone call out to him, some of the Walkers noticed and diverted from their course of the RV and started walking in his direction, luckily Lee was quick, he grabbed what he needed, putting it in his pocket, and looked back at the RV still moving, and he made a mad dash for the RV.

As Lee ran to the RV, he picked up the fold out lawn chair, and held it in front, like a makeshift barricade; he charged forward and managed to shove two walkers, lifting them almost off their feet, using the weight of the Walkers, he thrust them into a group of six or so Walkers, sending most of them tumbling to the ground, ditching the lawn chair in the process as he leapt into the RV.

Gus reached for Lee's hand, success, he held Lee's hand and started pulling him in, but then another bump in the road shook the RV "Give me a fuckin break!" they heard Kenny curse and he stomped his foot on the accelerator, but given how many Walkers were in the way, the amount he was ploughing through, forfeited the RV's speed to a snail's pace.

Gus pulled Lee inside, but then a sudden thud came from the doorway, Clementine screamed in horror, three Walkers in the doorway, Carley reached for her gun but Gus had already grabbed his Mossberg 500 shotgun, pulled back on the slide, ready to fire a fresh bullet, the Walkers were fighting to get in, trying to get in at the same time.

Gus aimed his shotgun for the middle one, that squeezed passed the first two, it growled in the form of gurgling noises, Gus stood firm and said "Bazinga Punk!" blowing the Walkers head off, causing its lifeless corpse to fall and managing to bowl over the two behind it, Lee then reached for the door and slammed it shut.

**Three Chapters to go and then we jump into Episode three: Two Birds. Note: I will try to have this episode complete soon, because on the 29th of November; the PS4 arives and I have Assassins Creed 4, Lego Marvel Superheroes, Killzone Shadow Fall, Knack and Skylanders Swap Force on preorder so I've decided to take two weeks off for solid gaming, HOWEVER I will dedicate 3 hours a night to complete and submit a chapter or two.**

**One last question for my reviewers, do you think I should introduce a character from the Walking Dead 400 Days DLC game, if so who? but just one character and maybe how I should introduce that character, but the character of your choice may only be a cameo and I might bring that person back later on in the story. Adios my friends.**


	9. Chapter 9 What lies beyond? (Part 8)

**What up my friends? JLOGO here to dish out a new chapter, First off; 400 Days DLC characters; Jankmaster98; Vince is a great choice, but if I do include him, he will be with someone else, not by himself, Nate is a definite possibility to show up at some point, great suggestions, I'll be sure to surprise you.**

**Guest 1 REW; my man; I'm glad to hear you liked my action packed chapter, and that it was suspenseful, there will be plenty more to come, I love reading your reviews, they inspire me, so thank you. Now 400 days DLC characters; I'm 100% into your Vince and Danny (Not Justin, he's a jerk) idea, it's brilliant, the only problem is that by now Vince and Danny would've changed clothes, but Kenny could still spot them and comment that they could be murderers which hits Lee, Wyatt is also a possibility, I've an idea laid out at the bottom of the page for you and anyone else, SPOILER warning though.**

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter :)**

Once Lee was in the RV, Kenny didn't have to hold back on his options for getting away from the Motor Inn, he floored the accelerator pedal as hard as he could; the back wheels were shredding through the flesh of the Walkers, until finally the RV was ready to move again. Kenny hit a few more Walkers thus causing the RV to rock to the sides some more, they felt one final bump and then nothing but smooth ground, they were on the road.

Kenny swayed the RV to the right, driving away from the place they once called home, the Walkers started turning themselves around, following the RV, but they were moving at such a slow pace that it didn't matter, they'd never catch up, the Walkers had won, regardless, and all of Macon belonged to the dead now.

* * *

Once the RV had gotten a good distance from the Motor Inn, everyone was thinking just what happened back there? Carley was looking at Lee wondering 'What was he doing back there?'. Lee was holding onto the cabinets on the walls, so that if Kenny hit a bump, he wouldn't lose his footing. Lee quickly observed the state of the group, it was quiet, he could see the relieved look on Clementine, but she seemed a bit shook up, he understood why; he was all she had left until they find her parents, if they find her parents.

The RV wasn't exactly open space for nine people, Clementine was sitting on the couch, closest to what appeared a cupboard where Gus had stored the food, at least five boxes worth of food that should last a few months, but he got distracted by Ben's arrival and left at least three boxes of food in their storage room which annoyed him, upon remembering, but they had enough to survive.

Clementine was seated next to the new kid; Ben, who she didn't know much about and was a little uncomfortable sitting next to him, but she was worried about him as he looked depressed. Ben had his head resting in his hands, over his knees, guilt ridden 'Man, shit, it was my fault this happened, oh god, if I hadn't come here, they… oh shit' regretting ever coming to the Motor Inn, first Travis, then Mr Parker and now he jeopardised their lives 'I'm such an idiot' he kept telling himself.

Beside Ben was Carley, in deep thought eyeing Lee, sceptical and worried, 'What was worth getting us almost killed' she wondered but she didn't want to bring it up just yet, in fact she half expected Kenny to remark how stupid his actions were, not in those words, of course, knowing Kenny couldn't go five minutes without dropping the 'F' word, it annoyed her how often he said it.

Doug sat equally silent next to Carley, uncomfortable by the close proximity he had, sitting next to her, he was in deep thought as to where they were going, since Kenny was driving, he assumed there destination was the Coast, remembering Kenny bringing it up from time to time.

Doug wasn't keen on the idea of getting into a boat and traversing the seas all that much, because of his seasickness, never again would he take a cruise across the Atlantic for a lecture given by Stephen Hawking, then again it was a great honour to meet him, but it wasn't something you'd bring up in conversation with a girl like Carley, or that's what he believed at least.

Speaking of Carley, she was on his mind, remembering her asking "You always that good with a wrench?" and calling him a 'hero' was enough to stir a blush in his cheek, although he wondered whether that meant anything, probably not by he appreciated how nice she was. 'Wish I could've completed my alarm system, would've been nice to measure its effectiveness so that I could've rigged up some other useful devices to keep us safe from Walkers' Doug thought to himself, keeping his mind off Carley, although he did catch a glimpse of her beauty through the corner of his eyes, he averted his eyes when Carley looked his way, he stared at the ground 'Gotta stop doing that' he suggested to himself again.

Gus was leaning against the door to the tiny bathroom, half expecting to fall backwards, arms crossed, he had a bit of Walker blood on the shoulder part of his brown jacket, and his shoes from stomping a few heads, he was contemplating the rage that he clearly showed when he fought the Walkers, he almost got bit, he didn't know he had an aggressive side, at best he would only get annoyed, not full blown berserk, it wasn't like him.

Gus also felt a little depressed having to leave Macon, especially since he promised Ben he would find Travis, that and thinking through the possibility of his brother and sister still hiding somewhere in Macon, he went back to his home, when he went to the Pharmacy and found that photo, he found no trace of them, which concerned him, but he half assumed they were dead, it didn't matter anymore, he just wanted to survive, in fact he wanted to know where they were heading.

Lee was quiet, not sure what to say, what could he say? Everyone was waiting for someone to say something, he observed everyone's expressions, reaction in Ben's case, but they were all dealing with the same problem, what would they do now? Where were they going? In fact Lee wondered whether Kenny knew, as they were going the same route that brought them to Macon.

"Oh shit, oh God, I'm sorry" Ben suddenly blurted out, looking up at Lee with a sincere and broken apologetic expression, assuming Lee was the group's leader, that and he seemed quite nice and understanding of his situation. Lee looked at him sympathetically; he didn't blame Ben for what happened "Calm down kid, not yer fault" Kenny commented with sincerity in his tone, although a part of him believed it was, but a part of him didn't.

Ben sat back in the chair with his arms crossed, thinking through the events that just took place, filled with regret. Out of sheer concern, Lee decided to ask "Is everybody all right?" instantly Clementine, Carley, Doug, Gus and even Kenny looked at Lee, each with different expressions, Clementine, Doug and Gus were indifferent, Carley and Kenny were either agitated or angrily puzzled "Yeah fuckin swell, we just lost everything!" Kenny blurted in a frustrated tone, clenching his hands tighter on the wheel, Ben tightened up inside, feeling the guilt strike him at the pit of his stomach.

Lee expected a reaction like that from Kenny, no one jumped like they normally would, well except Ben but he was new to the group, no one else jumped because Kenny was right, Katjaa simply said "Ken" softly, wanting him to calm down, he knew this but didn't respond. Carley glared accusingly at Lee and added "What were you doing back there Lee? Cause it seemed like a sure way of getting yourself cornered and killed".

Lee noticed Carley's ice cold tone, it chilled Ben to the bone, combined with her usual sarcastic nature, that could be a little harsh from time to time, her tone and sarcasm was enough to annoy him, but he knew why she said it, he looked almost apologetically "Yeah, it was pretty fucking stupid Lee, you almost gave us goddamn heart attacks!" Kenny's voice sounded both pissed off and concerned, Lee knew Kenny was just being a good friend, showing his concern for him.

Gus were curious as to what was it he had to get, he saw him lean down and pick up something "I had to get something" Lee then confessed, Gus had guessed right, everyone's curiosity was stirring at that point, Kenny and Carley especially, Kenny edged one eyebrow curiously, looking back at Lee, he asked "Like what exactly?".

Lee then looked down at the little girl, he was responsible for; Clementine wasn't sure what to expect, Lee smiled sweetly at her scepticism, he then reached behind his back, into his back pocket and brought forward; Clementine's Walkie-Talkie. Clementine's eyes brightened upon realisation that Lee had grabbed her Walkie-Talkie that she had forgotten to pick up amongst the chaos.

"My Walkie-Talkie!" she cried in shock, she rosed from her seat, Lee handed it to Clem, she immediately held it close to her, Gus, Carley, Ben and Doug smiled in response to Clementine's joyous reaction, plus they were impressed by Lee's commitment as her caretaker, from the front of the RV, Kenny found himself smiling at Katjaa, who returned the smile, Kenny was right to say Lee was a good parent figure for Clementine, he expected nothing less.

"I thought I put it in my backpack" she responded questionably whilst being greatly relieved and thankful to Lee, who was glad that he stopped to go get it "Lucky I saw it, huh?" he stated almost sheepishly, Clem's face brightened with a smile, holding her Walkie Talkie in her right hand, she stepped forward and reached her arms around Lee, giving him a warm hug as she leaned her head against his stomach "Thanks Lee, you're the best".

Clementine's sweet voice soothed his mind, he was happy whenever she was, he gently stroked her back, showing his gratitude. Everyone including Ben was touched by this heart-warming scene between Clementine and Lee.

Kenny was the most impressed, putting his ass on the line to keep Clementine safe and happy, once they find a safe place to hunker down, he was going to do whatever he could to make sure Duck had a better life, devoting his time to Duck and Katjaa, but he figured that would be a while.

Gus was grinning from ear to ear, he couldn't help it, it was so sweet, special even, it reminded him of all the times he stood up for his brother and sister when one of the neighbour kids gave them grief, he couldn't prevent himself from saying "Way to go Lee" he spoke with admiration in his voice, Lee simply smiled in response.

Carley added some additional praise "Yeah you did good" Lee didn't expect praise from Carley, but she was always understanding of Lee's decisions, when it came to Clementine's safety, Clem had asked a few times if she could go with Lee on one of their supply runs, but for obvious reasons he said 'no'. Carley knew Lee would do anything to keep her safe, and happy for that matter, she smiled at Lee, he returned it, Doug leaned forward and expressed his approval of Lee's decision to grab the Walkie, with a solid nod and friendly smile, Ben smiled a sheepish smile as well.

"I don't wanna rain on anyone's parade, but we ain't exactly in the clear" Kenny suddenly pointed out, Lee agreed, they had nowhere to go, Clementine chose to sit back down next to Ben, who looked at her with a sense of familiarity, she reminded him of his own sister; Jasmine, she was sweet, considerate but smart as well, Clem sat quietly while Lee handles things.

Everyone was looking at each other hoping for a solution "Kenny's right, we need somewhere to go" Lee supported, however Kenny was more than convinced where the best place to go was "Well I think its settled then, we head for the Coast". Lee didn't think it was a good idea, mainly because there could be better safer places to go "Ken" Katjaa's soft voice caught his attention, Kenny knew Katjaa was not thrilled about the open Waters.

Katjaa stared at Kenny, begging him to reconsider; he just brushed her off, keeping his eye on the road, in case of Walkers. Kenny was going to do whatever it takes to keep his wife and son safe from harm's way, however Carley had something to say "Whoa hang on" Kenny got the feeling she was about to say something aimed at him, and argue about it.

Everyone's attention was on Carley, as she was sort of like the voice of reason, as well as Lee, Gus and Doug, and Katjaa occasionally, everyone was keen to hear her thoughts and hopefully change Kenny's mind, because no one seemed overly thrilled about it "We haven't even talked about this, maybe there's someplace else we could go".

Everyone but Kenny seemed to agree, Kenny grit his teeth together like a frustrated snarl, before responding as calmly as he could "And where exactly is that?", Carley who could hear the bitterness in Kenny's voice, and honestly she didn't appreciate it, she didn't respond, Gus and Doug both had expressions of deep thought.

Gus had his hand resting under his chin, like Sherlock, trying to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle, and then it hit him "What about Atlanta, I mean the Military would exhaust all their resources into making sure the bigger cities are contained, right?" he explained, although most of his 'logic' were assumptions, Carley and Doug however seemed to think Gus was onto something.

Lee looked at Gus, a look of deep thinking, trying to figure out all the angles, it didn't take Doug very long to piece all the evidence together, to come up with a logical response, based on what he believed, looking at Gus as he supported his theory "It does seem plausible; containing the threat, studying it and synthesizing a cure".

Carley shook her head throughout the explanation, agreeing with everything Doug just said; he then looked to Lee, and offered a suggestion for what they should do "Atlanta might be worth checking out".

Kenny felt like telling Doug to cram it, he didn't like Doug all that much, because he thought he was little useful to the group, bearing his teeth, preventing himself from making a snark remark, mainly because he could sense Katjaa was looking at him, knowing what he was about to do before he did, he decided to keep quiet in order to please his considerate wife.

Lee would have agreed with Doug and Gus, but he remembered back four weeks ago, when he met Shawn, before his tragic death, he hadn't forgotten poor Shawn, and he assumed Kenny hadn't either, because he blamed himself for what happened, just as Hershel did.

Regardless he recalled what Otis said "We haven't seen anything this bad since downtown Atlanta" it buzzed through his head a few times, and as he was being drove to prison, he remembered seeing all those Police Cars, Helicopters and black police vans which may have been SWAT vans, now that he gave it more thought.

Lee was clueless at the time, not hearing anything about the dead rising to eat the living, but based on what he saw as he was driven out of Atlanta, it may or may not be safe, he didn't know for sure as he responded "I don't know about that, when I left Atlanta those first few days, it could've gone either way".

Once Lee's comment was out, the look of doubt, hit Doug and Carley, Gus wasn't entirely convinced and believed Doug was right about them going to Atlanta to find out whether or not it was safe, Kenny would never take a risk if it put his family in danger.

Nearly everyone had lowered their heads, in disappointment, even Lee felt bad for offering disappointing news, Clementine had a place she wanted to suggest, but was afraid of what people would say, Lee and Kenny especially. Ben gazed at all the disappointed faces, he was very lost right now, he was the new guy and didn't know anyone, in fact he only really seemed to like Lee because he chose to bring him and Mr Parker back with them, Clementine because she reminded him of his own sister and Gus who he got some time to know and thought he was a good guy, as he was the most keen to help Mr Parker and gave Ben some food.

The awkward silence was tremendously painful for Ben, who sat there, twiddling his thumbs, but he suddenly asked "So what are we gonna do?" his voice was weak and scattered, his question was heard but no one seemed to know, Carley was leaning forward, elbows resting on her knees, with her chin resting in her hands, thinking through her thoughts, trying to come up with a solution to their problems.

Doug had no further suggestions, which made him feel somewhat useless to the group, since many believed he was the smartest guy in their group, Gus just stood there silent, back against the door, looking to the front of the RV, through the window, the view of the passing tree's was tranquilising, beautiful, he lowered his head, wishing he had found time to appreciate stuff like that, before it all went to shit.

Lee was struggling to come up with anything, thinking through just about every possibility, but he was starting to think Kenny might be right, but he hadn't dismissed Carley, Doug or Gus's opinion, regarding the best course of action for the group, not just Kenny.

Lee was run dry with ideas, they couldn't go back to Hershel's farm, after what happened to Shawn, Athens was out of the question, because his wife was up there somewhere, and Atlanta could prove to be a risky endeavour, he was now staring down at the floor "There's gotta be a place we can go" he stated aloud to the group, that's when Carley's eyes widened upon realisation that there was.

Carley then sat up straight, looking past Ben; toward Lee "I think I might have the answer to our problems". Lee raised his head, sceptical and intrigued, Gus had a curious expression, Doug awaited her to explain, eager to hear what she had to say, Kenny listened closely and Ben looked at Carley wondering what she had to say, everyone was curious.

Carley had everyone's attention, she realised everyone was willing to listen, so she explained in a conclusive tone "When shit hit the fan, during the first few days, I heard reports of the CDC working to control whatever the hell this is, trying to find a cure".

Once she had finished speaking, everyone reacted similarly, stunned, Gus had his mouth ajar, as he heard about that, but had forgotten about it, Ben was sceptical, he knew he had heard the words 'CDC', then after a brief moment, he remembered Mr Parker suggesting it as a place worth travelling to.

Lee was intrigued "CDC?" he questioned, not sure if he heard it right, however Kenny heard just fine, however he wasn't exactly as accepting of the place, mainly because of its distance and other uncertainties he had.

"Right, the Centre for Disease Control, their probably sitting on their asses, with the doors sealed shut" Kenny expressed his uncertainty in the form of a snide remark, Carley glared in his direction, sick of his constant complaints, smart-ass remarks and tired excuses, wishing he'd do something other than making things worse, all the time.

Lee figured Kenny was only saying that so the others would change their minds, if anyone wanted to head for the CDC, Lee however believed Carley was onto something.

Doug believed Carley was right, in fact it was a brilliant suggestion, she just made, although he was not about to say any of that, but he did support her Intel, he stared between Lee and Carley as he spoke "They could have answers, what's going on, maybe even a cure in the works".

Carley forced a slight grin on the corner of her lip, glad to hear that Doug believed her and supported her reliable information she received the day it all began, shortly before it hit Macon, she was content with giving Doug a kiss as a way of 'thanking him' for saving her life twice, getting the RV moving and siding with her just now, she resisted this temptation, but she may repay him later, in private.

Gus gave Doug a nod of approval as he explained, Gus lightly pointed his index finger at Doug, his hand was just below his chin as Gus pointed out "It's not far from Atlanta, maybe the CDC have a handle on things" Ben, Carley, Doug and especially Lee, agreed with Gus, nodding in agreement.

Kenny however was getting fed up with everyone not agreeing with his point of view for once, he was gritting teeth, annoyed with Gus, Carley and Doug, mostly because they each disliked him for one reason or another "Is it worth taking chances like that? We barely made out of Macon, in one piece" he expressed, frustrated and desperate.

Lee knew exactly where Kenny was coming from, understanding the position that Kenny was in, to protect his family, just as Lee was trying to protect Clementine, and he promised himself that he would keep her safe, but Kenny didn't seem to grasp the situation, Lee believed that if the CDC had a cure, the nightmare would be over, at the very least they might find out the origins of this infection, 'It might be our only hope' he said to himself.

Doug then stated "At least we all made it, that's what matters" however Kenny simply ignored Doug, just as he normally would, though he wouldn't mind telling him to 'shut the fuck up' but he chose not to and continued to further prolong the inevitable by pretty much declaring "Well I think, the coast is still the best plan".

Carley lowered her head, rocking her head from side to side, frustrated by Kenny's over controlling state, Doug sighed a breath of fresh air, equally annoyed with Kenny, although he contained it better than Carley, Ben seemed indifferent as he wasn't entirely certain what they were about to do, were they going to the CDC or the Coast? That's if they wanted him with them, he hoped so, knowing he wouldn't last long on his own.

Gus finally threw his hands up, irritated by Kenny's bullshit, and assertion crap, Gus believed that Lee should make the call on what they should do, because Lee considers every angle whereas Kenny could be very one dimensional, he glared at Kenny from an angle and stated angrily, in order to get Kenny's attention "The CDC sounds safer than the open waters!".

Kenny barely registered what Gus said, out of sheer irritation of Gus telling him what to do all the time; it was growing old and getting on his nerves, he didn't seem to care what Gus, Doug or anybody thought of his plans to head for the coast, what mattered was keeping his family alive.

Gus was not fond of the silent treatment he was being given by Kenny, his eyes glared at him, irritated being an understatement, unlike Kenny he was thinking of the whole group just as Lee was, "So what? We're going to kunga kunga from town to town, without a clue, and the Walkers on our backs, get on your boat, then what? We need to know just what the hell is happening, why have the dead come back to life?".

Kenny looked back at Gus with a glare, and snarling from his teeth, like a tiger that was ready to pounce, but Gus was unaffected, glaring back at him, Gus had the presence of a bear, standing close to the front of RV, two angered animals that were close to starting an all-out brawl.

Carley suddenly decided to intervene the angered stare off between the two, when Gus heard Carley's voice, he leaned back against the door, so she could be seen and heard by Kenny, but he immediately put his attention back on the road encase he caused an accident, but despite his bitter nature he listened "We've lasted this long because we stayed together, but our lucks running out; Maybe we should go back to Motor Inn to prove my point!" she spoke almost harshly , but her tone softened as she explained further "The CDC will have the answers we need; it's our only hope… honestly, what other choice do we have?".

Kenny bowed his head, almost in defeat, realising that she was right, how much longer could they hold out? would the coast really make a difference? He asked himself, Lee managed his way to the front of the RV, knowing Kenny would listen to him; he stood inside the small hallway, holding onto the sides of the wall to keep his balance.

Lee collected his thoughts, cautious of Kenny's foul anger, wanting to tread carefully, so as not to cause any unnecessary conflict, Kenny was his friend, he understood where he was coming from, he wanted Katjaa and Duck to be safe as well.

Lee looked to Katjaa, who gave him an apologetic expression, most likely for Kenny's behaviour but she knew Lee would be able to talk some sense into her husband, before doing so, he took a deep breath, looking at the back of Kenny's head before commenting in a soft tone "Carley's right, this place is the best shot we have, if this place is safe, we should go, we can keep Clementine and Duck safe there, safe for all of us, I hope".

Kenny did like the sound of that, however he was still considerably concerned, afraid of all the things that could go wrong, Doug and Carley both considered the negative possibilities of heading to the CDC as well, but they both knew that they really didn't have a choice, if they could figure out what was happening, they could plan out a course of action and decide what was best for the group.

Gus hadn't really considered Kenny's side of the story, until now, Kenny was in a tough position; go to the CDC and hopefully find some answers, or go to the Coast and set sail, either direction was dangerous, Gus's arms were crossed, leaning on the door, he then stated "Hope is all we have right now" in a soft and almost worried tone, he wasn't the only one, they were all worried, regardless of where they were heading.

The second Kenny heard Gus's voice, he gritted his teeth, looked back at Gus, and yelled "Yeah, and for all we know, there ain't anybody left, the CDC might be a dead end! Then what? Huh?" Gus felt the urge to retaliate, but despite his irritation of Kenny's behaviour, he decided to keep quiet, not wishing to cause anymore tension.

Lee then suddenly interrupted "Then we head to the Coast, get on a boat and never look back" Kenny looked at Lee sceptical, almost dumbfounded, he didn't expect Lee to say any of that, honestly Lee was hoping the CDC had answers, because he didn't want to get on a boat, he looked back at Clementine, not until they find out what happened to her parents, he promised her back at her house the day they met, he promised himself.

Gus, Carley and Doug were all stunned by Lee's sudden comment, none of them were keen on heading to the coast for different reasons, Gus had a fear of drowning, Doug had seasickness and Carley just didn't think it would be safer than land, she believed the Walkers were predictable but the weather wasn't.

Kenny just stared at the road in disbelief, the corner of his eye stared at Katjaa and Duck, the only family he had, the only thing important to him, he didn't like this CDC idea of the group, he looked back at Lee, the concern of his was planted in his eyes, he sighed a breath of air, defeated "Lee, you know why I don't wanna do this" it was more of a statement than a question, he spoke almost close to a whisper, his shoulders were hunched up when he the words left his mouth.

Lee knew exactly why; his family, he shook his head, knowing the tough position Kenny was in "Yeah I do" he responded, empathy edging in his voice, Kenny then looked over her shoulder at Lee, the expression on his face was a dangerous one, both his eyes glared at him, whilst bearing his teeth, Lee was taken aback by it all, then Kenny declared "Then you better pray to Christ, nothing bad happens", hardly a statement, Lee could tell it was a threat, and a promise, Lee shook his head, he understood the message, quite clear.

There was a split in the road just up ahead, Kenny hesitated for a second when he saw the sign that pointed to the left 'Atlanta' there was the word 'Miles' but the numbers next to it had faded to the point that it was unreadable, or he could keep going straight, get to the Coast and 'they all live happily ever fucking after' he thought aloud to himself, but despite his desire to protect his family, he reluctantly made the turn; to Atlanta.

As the RV swayed to the left, everyone felt instantly accomplished and proud for Kenny, who they knew really doesn't agree with this direction, but was willing to risk it, to find some answers, he turned to look back at the other group members and declared "Sit tight everybody, gonna be a long-ass trip".

Gus, Carley and Doug were grateful, even if their facial expressions said otherwise, they gave Kenny a swift nod of understanding, Kenny was hoping for a thank you, but received none, and he returned his full attention on road, until a few seconds later he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Lee, smiling at him, grateful for what he was doing "Thanks Ken" he said, softly.

Kenny lightly smiled in response for the appreciation he just received from his friend; Lee, the only one who seemed to stick by his side, Kenny's face then became more sincere "We have to do what we can to survive" those words sunk into Lee's brain, he swiftly shook his head, he understood, Kenny then proceeded to concentrate on the road, Kenny noticed his wife smiling at him, proud of him, no doubt, and in return he smiled happily at his wife, Duck was gazing through the window, mesmerised by passing tree's, it was more common to enjoy the little things nowadays.

Lee then turned around to see Ben and Gus at the back of the RV, sitting on the cushioning seats at the table, they were quiet, both thinking through any number of things, but Lee knew it wouldn't be long before Gus sprung into a bright and colourful conversation with the new kid, in fact he noticed that Gus got along with everyone but Kenny, even though it was mostly Kenny who made it difficult most often, but Gus was a good kid and figured he would make Ben feel at home.

The spot where Ben was sitting was now vacant, he decided to sit beside Clementine and Carley, both her and Doug gave Lee a proud expression, he was glad to help, he looked to Clementine who smiled brightly at Lee for bringing back the Walkie Talkie she received as a birthday present on her 7th birthday, the Baseball cap she treasured was also a birthday present, if he recalled correctly, from what she said at least. Clementine chose to lean up against Lee and have a nap, Lee realised this and placed his arm around her "Get some rest, Sweet pea" he spoke softly, she smiled, and happily replied "OK Lee, thanks for saving my Walkie" Lee couldn't help but find her response adorable "Your Welcome" he politely whispered as she drifted into a deep sleep.

Lee was both excited and afraid of what they might find at the CDC, but with Carley's dead eye, Doug's tech expertise, Gus's shotgun firing skills, Kenny's determination and Clementine as his source of strength, they stood a chance at facing whatever came their way, the Motor Inn and Macon may be lost but his views remained the same; to protect the group; his friends and Clementine.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, as for my idea; when Daryl splits the group to go with Merle, they could find that family being aided by Vince and Wyatt, and Wyatt gets pinned down and saved by Vince, explaining why he stays with group in 400 days, because of Vince, Daryl decides to go back to the prison, being sorry for Merle's behaviour and tells them that the Prison is a safe place, that way they could join the group between the time jump between season 3 and 4. Or Russel could meet Dale and Carol on the highway at night, explaining that he is looking for his grandma (happens when Carl gets shot & Daryl and Andrea are searching for Sophia) these are basic ideas but feel free to tell me what you think and offer any suggestions about what I should do, I'll read and consider them.**

**Good news; got my hands on the first 12 issues of the Walking Dead Comics, expecting 12 more soon,I'm loving it so far, they can be found on ebay or type in 'Walking Dead Comic' and the issue number on YouTube for those desperate to learn more.**

**Final Note: The next chapter has a heavy focus on Lee who is coming to grips with what he did (Murdering State Senator) & the growing bond between Doug and Carley, I think you guys will like it, we'll learn more about them and how they are coping. Let me know what you guys thought of the Governor episode, I'm happy to read your thoughts, Adios my friends. **


	10. Chapter 10 What lies beyond? (Part 9)

**Hello my friends JLOGO is back, First off; Sorry for the delay, but there is only this chapter and one more to go before 'Episode 3 Two Birds, One Stone' so I've been working hard to make sure its good, anyway as I said in the previous chapter; this is a very Lee, Doug and Carley focused chapter, it is a long chapter, but think of it as an added bonus before the last chapter.**

**Okay reviews; The Basedgod; glad to hear you're liking it and thanks for the info, I appreciate it and don't worry I've got an idea as to how to address my mistake in later episodes as part of the story.**

**Guest 1 Rew; No sweat about the long reviews, I enjoy reading your reviews so much, it doesn't bother me, keep em coming buddy, and thanks to you I have more ideas, yes the idea of Gus and Glenn getting kidnapped by those Mexicans works great, Kenny will be there and when they have to save him and Glenn, Kenny might express that he cares about Gus's safety and wants to save him, because he saved Duck. I've already planned what happens in the Atlanta regarding how Rick and Lee meet Glenn, I loved the suggestion and I almost considered it, but the first impression between Rick and Andrea is a scene that has a lot of meaning for her character and will translate perfectly with Lee, Kenny, Carley etc. Definitely thinking about Lee giving Clementine a gun for her first unprofessional Walker kill, it makes sense, and not to spoil anything but Lee, Kenny and co, end up forced to abandon some gear, forcing them to return to Atlanta.**

**Anyways hope everyone enjoys this chapter :) **

The darkness was settling in, stars kept the night sky beaming with those small glimmers of light, to some they were glimmers of hope during these dark days, the breeze was relatively cold, and the moon shined brightly as it always did, the trees were swaying to one side, as the breeze whooshed from one direction. It was quiet, the only sound that could be heard were leaves on the trees being rattled by the cold night winds, there was long stretch of road, on one side of the road, looked like a paddock or rather an empty plot of land, cut off by a wooden fence with barbed wire, and on the side was a long row of forest tree's, going into the forest would be like stepping in the tale of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman, extremely creepy.

By the barbed wire fence, that separated the huge open space of land, was the RV, Lee was sitting atop the RV, Rifle resting upon his lap, seated on their last fold out lawn chair that Katjaa managed to fold up and bring into the RV. Lee was still wearing his blue jeans still stained with that Mr Parker's blood, and some extra blood from the close combat he had with the Walkers that invaded the Motor Inn. Lee was also wearing a black jacket, with a red buttoned up shirt over a white undershirt, his jacket had a bit of grit, dirt and blood from the struggle with the Walker; Parker, but it was the only jacket he had, excluding his blue buttoned jacket, it wasn't as effective; against this measure of cold, at least.

Once it started to get dark, Lee, Kenny and the others decided it was best to avoid driving at night, because it was harder to see, and more dangerous as the RV was a big, noisy, rolling target that was capable of attracting the attention of nearby Walkers, so they thought it was best if they stop the RV for the night and continue along their route to the CDC, first thing in the morning, once the sun had risen.

They all decided to keep lights to a minimum, which they did, and as for food, it was pretty much whatever didn't need cooking; Kenny found some Beef Jerky in a jar, so he ate four of them, it was enough to fill him up, though it was hardly a meal but it did the job. Lee made a Peanut Butter Sandwich for himself and Clementine, Lee made sure to cut off her crust, as she was not fond of its dry taste, she was grateful nonetheless.

Doug kept his distance from the Peanut Butter due to his allergies, Carley had sliced up some apples on a plate for anyone else who wanted some, Ben found some Chocolate fruity bars and some Choc Chip Cookies, making sure to appease his hunger since he hadn't eaten for two days straight, but he made sure not to over indulge because of the group's hospitality toward him.

Katjaa was given a few slices of apples, Carley prepared, Duck ate some Choc Chip Cookies, at least six, and Gus ate a can of Spaghetti-o's, although he would have preferred baked beans because of the dietary fibre, he was watching his weight but out of respect for the others, he chose not to, because of the side effect of gas, but by eight or nine-ish o'clock they all decided to call it a night.

All was quiet inside the RV, well apart from the occasional snore from Gus and Kenny, the only ones who snored, though Kenny's snores were louder, Gus's snores would stop and start, no one knew this because they were all used to sleeping in their own room back at the Motor Inn, Kenny, Katjaa and Duck in one room together, Lee and Clementine as well, whereas Gus, Doug and Carley each had a separate room, and the RV seemed quite full up.

Kenny had fallen asleep in the driver's seat, with Katjaa in the passenger's seat, holding Duck close to her, with a light brown blanket wrapped around her and Duck because it was just so freezing cold, and Kenny had his long sleeved shirt on to keep him warm, although the occasional chill did hit him in his sleep, causing him to toss or turn every so often, until he found a comfortable warm spot.

Ben had fallen asleep, lying down on the comfy couch-like seats, by the table, resting his head on what appeared to be a black jacket belonging to Gus because there was only one pillow in the RV and Kenny told Lee that Clementine could sleep on it, Ben scrunched up the jacket, almost into a ball as a substitute for a pillow. Doug had fallen asleep sitting up at the table with his arms crossed, close to Ben and Gus had fallen asleep on the other side of the table from Doug, he had nothing as a cushion for his head, except the seat itself, he was lying down, past his head was Ben's feet, or shoes rather, Gus chose to sleep on his back with his feet resting up on the sink, Gus occasionally muttered something in his sleep from time to time, it was hard to hear though.

Clementine was sleeping on the couch by the door, leaning her head down on the pillow that Kenny said she could sleep on, covered by a small blue kid sized blanket that she was wrapped in, her hat and one Walkie, was sitting on the small bench beside the sink, as for the second Walkie-Talkie, Lee kept it close, just for emergencies.

Suddenly someone in the RV started to stir, someone at the back of the RV began to wake, Gus suddenly snored; more like a piglet snorting, he was clearly fast asleep, Ben tossed to his side, but he too was sound asleep, Doug however was lightly tossing and turning, his face was squinting, cracking even and suddenly his eyes burst open in a fright.

'Just a dream, nothing more, just an average dream' Doug was thinking to himself, breathing heavily, while trying to keep it quiet, his eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, it was dark but not 'cloud covering the moon' kind of dark, however it was a little spooky he had to say, as he looked around the RV, everyone was sound asleep, he however didn't see himself going back to sleep anytime soon, not after the dream he just had.

Doug placed both hands over his face, he rubbed his face, guiding his hands down his face, to remove the sleepiness from his eyes, he was still incredibly tired, he looked around the RV again, he was the only one awake and wanted to keep it that way.

'SNORT' Doug jumped at the sound, his head spun to the right, where Gus was sleeping, on the other side of the table 'SNORT' the sound had come from Gus himself, snoring like a piglet, he sighed a breath of relief, before deciding to stand up and have a quick stretch, he wondered whilst stretching whether Lee was still on watch, it's been bizarrely quiet 'SNORT' another piggie snore, except for that.

Doug then quietly tip toed through the RV, doing his best to avoid making the floor creak or wake someone up, especially Carley, remembering how Gus was tasked with waking her up, for her watch at six in the morning, Gus knocked at her door, three times and kept getting told 'five more minutes' on the fourth time, Gus stuck his head in and was about to say 'Carley, watch duty' but before he could finish saying 'watch' she threw one of her black lady shoes at the door, he closed the door in time to avoid a hit.

Eventually Carley woke up ten minutes later, and apologised later that same day, but Gus was never game to take any shift for watch duty at night, or early morning, if she was after him, so Doug was cautious, not wanting to wake her or Clementine either, because it might irritate Lee if he found out, but Doug didn't think Lee was one to get angry, there may have been one or two instances when Lee was frustrated, both were toward Kenny.

Doug was about to step outside, reaching for the door handle, but for some reason, he was compelled to look back at the sleeping beauty that was Carley, her amazing black hair looked so smooth, so soft, her lips as red as the rose, her legs was resting on the couch, one leg on top the other, her head rested partially on the back of the couch and partially against the wall, Doug found himself staring, whilst noticing his cheeks were warm from a blush.

Doug also noticed her red blanket was resting on the floor, he looked at Carley, then down at the blanket 'She might be freezing' he thought sympathetically, he leaned downed to pick up the blanket, before wondering what the heck was he doing? He realised he was actually about to put this blanket over her, he wasn't sure whether he should.

Doug was conflicted, as he held onto the blanket, then looking back down at Carley; so peaceful, so beautiful, he'd hate to leave her cold, without the blanket, she would probably catch a cold of sorts and who was to say that the common cold wasn't more life threatening than it used to be, given the 'rising from the grave' circumstances, nowadays.

Doug was hesitant, to put the blanket over her, because if she woke up, he was as good as dead, but regardless, he realised if he truly cared about her as much as he did, he would risk it. Doug then proceeded to grab one end of the blanket with both hands, he then carefully leaned forward, over Carley, the proximity alone was enough to make him break out in to cold sweats, and he could feel her warm breaths escape her lips, it made him extra jumpy.

Doug was trying to make sure the blanket covered any exposed arms or legs, the extreme closeness with Carley also meant he could smell her powerful erotic perfume, it was a beautiful scent; like Passion fruit, Apples and Strawberry, it was so sweet.

Doug then gently let go of the red blanket, keeping the cold chilly air from getting at her, Doug watched as Carley's sleeping form, curled up in the blanket, he swore for a second he saw a smile on her red gorgeous lips, but he was so captivated by her sleeping beauty that every bit of air she inhaled was so mesmerising to him.

However Doug realised what he was doing, was kind of creepy, and decided to go about his original intentions and go stretch his legs and check on Lee, wondering if he has seen any Walkers or people or something, he just wanted to keep his thoughts away from his bad dream. Doug tip toed to the door and turned the handle, closed the door behind him, suddenly hit by a ferociously cold chill, Inside the RV, what Doug hadn't noticed was that Carley was awake during that whole time, but was too busy enjoying his closeness, even though he was quite a dork, in her eyes, she found him to be cute at everything, she smiled, she was also curious as to what Doug was doing, going outside the RV, it was dark and dangerous which concerned her, because deep down, she knew she harboured feelings for Doug, and he knew it also, even if he seemed oblivious to the fact.

* * *

The cold air was enough to give a man; frostbite, Lee however was not so phased by it, his mind was wondering an endless road, one he may never truly escape, the wind nor the cool breeze was enough to break this man's concentration, not a single Walker thus far, but Lee didn't think he would, given how rarely they saw a Walker during those three weeks at the Motor Inn, then what was his attention so fixed on?

Lee was holding in his hand, the photo of him and his family, staring depressingly at the image in his hand, all the memories, flowing through his head, some good, some bad, he was second guessing the choices he's made that he now regretted, wishing he could've worked his way around the problems he had with his family, his wife, wishing he had never killed the State Senator, he might've had a chance to spend more time with his family, and find someone else who he could love.

Lee recalled the day of the trial **"We find Lee Everett… Guilty of murder in the first degree"** his cheap lawyer tried sweet talking the Judge to reconsider, it was pointless, accepting his inevitable fate, it was the final glance at his parents and brother, that hit him with more force than any life sentence ever could. Lee's parent looked at him; appalled, disgusted and depressed, their faces said it all, his parents stood up and headed for the exit of the courtroom, his brother stared gloomily at Lee, saddened, in disbelief of the position his brother was in, he closed his eyes, stood up and left, none of them looked back, he never expected them to, seeing a murderer was something people tend to steer clear of, he would have done the same if he was in his brothers shoes.

**"GUILTY"** the voices he remembered hearing in the courtroom, began to echo, **"MURDER"** Lee rubbed a hand over his face, hoping it would help stop the voices from playing over and over in his head **"LIFE SENTENCE"**, he took a deep breath, hoping it would help **"ACCIDENT"** his own voice was now taunting him, he could feel tears dwelling up in his eyes **"GUILTY"** he wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his Jacket **"KILLER"**. Lee could feel his hands tense up, gripping the photo with more firmness, **"STATE SENATOR"** his eyes began to slope in sorrow, as the words echoed louder and faster **"DEAD"** his other hand reached for a section of the photo, along the edge **"ACCIDENT"** there was a build-up of strength in his hand and fingers **"BETRAYED?"** the voices were becoming faster and more personal **"WIFE"** his eyes tightly closed themselves **"FAULT"**, **"GUILTY"**, **"MURDERER"**, **"LEE EVERETT"** he then suddenly began to pull at the edge of the Photo **"MONSTER"**. Lee ripped the photo in two, tearing his presence from the photo, knowing he would never get that second chance at redemption, he would have to live with his mistakes, knowing if his family was somehow alive; they wouldn't want him back after what he did.

Lee wipes his eyes of tears once more, hoping the pain in his heart would steady, the voices had ceased since he tore the photo, his heartache was steadying, but his depression hadn't quite settled "I'm sorry… sorry I wasn't the son or brother… you deserved" he said, sadly staring at the photo, he frowned, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, before finally letting go of his section of the photo, it swiftly guided its way, gliding down to the ground, presumably, he didn't see where, Lee then carefully placed his family's photo, gently into his back pocket.

Despite what his wife did to him, betrayed him, he understood why she did, he wasn't perfect, he realised at times he was more committed to his job and his students than her, he dragged his fingers through his light beard, he was conflicted however, he would never had betrayed her love like that, never, he'd sooner die then do what she did, he wished she had said something, or rather he wished he had tried harder to work it out.

Lee's wife; Vanessa, Vanessa Everett, she was two years younger than he was, 35 years old, her hair was long and curly, much like Clementine's, she was a fashion designer, and a good one at that, he wondered how Vanessa actually met the State Senator, weird he thought, Vanessa looked like the real life actor; Kerry Washington from Django Unchained, which the two saw together when their marriage was at a stronger point, she was extremely beautiful, she always smiled, but that soon faded as the years went on, they were married for four years, although she left him, he still loved her.

Lee sighed another breath of fresh air, albeit really chilly fresh air, but he had to clear his senses, he leaned back in the lawn chair, the rifle lying in his lap, letting all his problems fly away with the wind, his stomach growled, he was quite hungry, it was now 1:43am, according to his watch, Carley said she'd take watch at three and onward until the sun would rise, then they would head for the CDC, get some answers and see what happens next.

Lee scanned the surroundings, not a Walker in sight, he looked behind himself, and the field was empty, the wind brushed along the tallish grass, it was somehow soothingly relaxing, he then sat forward, it wasn't exactly the most appealing view; looking across the road to a row of tall forest tree's, it was spine chilling to say the least, in fact the only reason he chose this position was because the Walkers were totally exposed in the open field, therefore easy to spot, and the Walkers were more likely to wonder out of the forest and surprise them… Wait, what the-.

Lee could see something, something standing near the tree's; A Walker? Lee's heart was pumping, hoping it wasn't coming in this direction, he checked beside himself, there was a screwdriver and the red toolbox; Kenny gave to him in case a Walker got too close and needed to dispatch them, Rifle shots were ferociously loud, so he couldn't fire all willy-nilly without attracting a bunch of Walkers.

Lee stood up, holding the rifle in front; he was viewing through the scope, trying to get a clear visual of the Walker, once the scope was on target, he noticed something was off about this Walker, he increased the zoom on his scope, he could see it was a Walker wearing what appeared to be a red dress, quite odd he thought, he decided to zoom in a little more, his eyes seemed concentrated but then he realised what it was, his eyes widened upon realisation what it was he saw "Oh God".

He couldn't believe it, he froze, his heart raced faster than ever before, it wasn't a Walker, it was a person, a woman, a woman in a red dress, he breathed heavily, as it was not just any woman, he lowered the gun for a second, shook his head sideways, before looking through the scope again, hoping he was imagining things "Vanessa?" the words slipped from his lips.

His wife was standing by the edge of the forest, dead centre, she stood there smiling, her hair curled beautifully, her lips red as the rose, it couldn't be real, he knew it couldn't be "No" he declared almost whispering, he looked again, this time zooming in on her face, it was his wife, but was it real? He was second guessing the possibility of it being his wife, he stared at her illuminating beauty, she smiled directly at him through the scope, and he could see her clean healthy teeth, he could feel his emotions returning, but he didn't want to accept his wife was standing there, smiling almost taunting him into believing it was real, he kept telling himself 'No way, your dead'.

Lee stared through the scope, stunned, and wondering how was this possible? it wasn't, he tried to convince himself, she was dead, she had to be, she couldn't be alive, as he stared at her face, he noticed, her smile began to fade, Lee pressed one hand on his forehead, feeling his own temperature, he was cold, he looked back at his wife.

Blood was slowly pouring from her lips; Lee was horrified; why was he seeing this? Was this a warning of some kind, or was it just Karma? Coming back to haunt him, the blood was gushing down her chin, a bright red trail down her face followed, his eyes were becoming heavy, he could feel tears starting to form, he held them back, when looking back at his wife again, blood was sliding from her eyes, Lee was simply stunned, his jaw dropped, it was like a scene from a horror film, but with no context as to why this was happening.

Lee watched her remain still, blood dripping from her eyes and mouth "Why?" he asked, knowing his wife could hear him, she said nothing, a few seconds later, she closed her eyes, Lee was becoming angered and confused, rocking his head from side to side, "Why are you doing this?" he asked slightly louder than a whisper, this time, Lee then looked at her again, through the scope, his wife's face was almost completely soaked in blood from the eyes, nose and mouth, Vanessa then revealed her eyes.

Lee was beyond awed, his jaw remained ajar, his wife's eyes, they were… they were completely bloodshot, it was like staring into a pool of blood, with a black tar-like circle in the dead centre, she looked like a Walker, bleeding from the face, but he couldn't not look away, he breathed short breaths of fresh air, gazing at his wife, bloodied and dead, he didn't blink, he didn't move, he didn't speak, much like her, she did none of the above, his wife was dead, she had become a Walker.

"Hey Lee" a voice caught Lee's full attention, his face spun to the left, where it turned out to be Doug, climbing up the ladder of the RV, Lee was dumbfound, he ignored him temporarily, and turned back to face forward, he was looking through the scope, but his wife was gone, she vanished, he started looking about, hoping to catch a glimpse of his wife, but then he lowered the rifle, wondering whether or not she was simply a hallucination or a figment of his imagination, he wasn't sure, but he was incredibly spooked.

Doug expected Lee to respond in his usual polite manner, saying hello in a delighted fashion, but as he made it onto the roof, he noticed Lee looked like he was immensely concentrated on something, Lee was sceptical to say the least, Doug was curious as to what was the cause of Lee's sudden silence "Lee, you OK? You look a little perplexed" he mentioned, concerned for his friend's wellbeing, despite little interactions they've had, he considered Lee a good friend.

After a few seconds, Lee realised what he saw regarding his wife, was in fact an illusion, he hesitated, looking at the entrance to the forest, but saw nothing, Lee then responded quietly "Nah, thought I saw something" Doug understood and took a quick glance in the direction Lee was looking to, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary "A Walker? Perhaps" he suggested, based on experiences in the last three weeks, any problems that arose, had some connection to the Walkers.

Lee glanced at Doug and responded "That's what I thought, but there's nothing, musta imagined it" he lied, he knew what he saw but decided to keep it to himself "Seems likely, it is dark, and the human eye doesn't necessarily work as good as it does in broad daylight, in fact Owls have the greatest night vision capabilities of any other known bird or mammal" Doug explained, Lee stared at him, his expression was blank but he was slightly dumbfounded, Doug was like a walking Wikipedia, and felt like he just watched an episode of 'Animal Planet'.

"Uh… yeah I know, I am a history professor, you know?" Lee stated, feeling rather awkward talking about his past profession, Doug recalled Lee mentioning this, at some point during these past few weeks "Oh yeah, you did say that, sorry" he apologised, Lee didn't think much of his apology, it wasn't necessary as it was an honest mistake "It's fine" he stated, smiling a friendly smile as he sat back down in the lawn chair, Lee had all but forgotten about the hallucination he just had about his wife, but what did it mean? He kept asking himself.

Doug stared at the one dimensional view in front of him; the tree's aligned in a straight row, it was an interesting view for him, mainly because he wasn't much of an outside person, he told Gus and Lee; that he worked in IT, which complied of much time being spent inside, Lee assumed at the time it meant "On the Computer" Doug hastily denied it and said he was "Doing my own thing" which actually consisted of playing computer games, he had to lie, he didn't want the word to spread that he was a total nerd mainly because of his interest in Carley at the time, the view on the other side of the RV was equally breathtaking, not really but he didn't get outside very often before it all went to shit.

Lee was wondering why Doug wasn't asleep like the others "What brings you up here Doug? Can't sleep?" he asked in a polite and friendly manner, Doug was silent, he wanted to say he had a nightmare, but he was thinking back to the alarm system, knowing that if he had worked faster, they might have been able to prevent what happened back the Motor Inn or if he wasn't such a coward around guns, they might have been able to hold off the Walkers.

Lee was growing increasingly concerned about Doug, he seemed quite troubled, not just now but back at the Motor Inn, Lee was about to ask if he was okay but Doug responded before the words could escape his mouth "I was wondering if the possibility of me being able to take control of your watch existed… perhaps?".

Doug was a little nervous asking such a request, or whether he believed he could actually handle a gun, remembering how he froze after killing his first Walker, it made him wonder how Carley, Gus, Lee and Kenny managed to do it without feeling remorse for killing something that was once human.

Lee was baffled by Doug's request, curious as to why he had a sudden interest in watch duty, because he only did watch duty during the daytime, and he never had the rifle resting on lap like the others did, he was far more tactical, choosing the stealth option, whereas Kenny would've simply blew its brains out.

Lee didn't think it was a good idea, if it was daylight he would, but it was basically pitch black, and Walkers were too big a threat, especially now that they weren't safely behind a wall, Lee looked at Doug suspiciously, why? He wondered, but it had mostly to do with uncertainty, unsure of whether or not it was a good idea to put Doug on watch, since he wouldn't handle a gun, but he was mostly concerned about the group "Are you sure bout this Doug?" he asked, raising an eye brow curiously.

Doug realised what Lee's concerns were, he could tell by the delayed response that he wasn't sure it was a good idea, he didn't think it was either, but he explained "I'm not big on guns, but I've been considering the usefulness of my abilities and I want to contribute more… I thought maybe this might be the place to start, expand on my knowledge as such" Doug seemed to believe he was more of a burden than a member of the group, Doug just wished he could be more helpful.

Lee didn't expect such a response from Doug, in fact Lee trusted him just as much as anyone else in their group, remembering how Doug came to his aid when Lee wrestled with the Walker, Doug was able to get the RV running when Kenny simply couldn't, Doug has supported his decisions from the start, Lee found himself forming a reassuring smile as he replied "Doug, you've already proved you're plenty useful to the group, you saved Carley, twice, you were there to lend me a hand when the guy turned, hell you even got the RV running, you don't need to prove what's already been proven".

Doug felt slightly uneasy hearing Carley's name, but he appreciated Lee's kind words, Doug lowered his head to let it all sink in, Lee was right, he realised, but still Doug felt like he had more skills to offer, he wanted to help out more "Thanks Lee" Doug replied, with a friendly grin, a few seconds later however, he crossed his arms and expressed his concerns, through a thorough explanation "But I'd like to try and adapt to the occurring changes; eventually I'll have to learn to use them anyway, right?".

Lee wasn't entirely convinced it was a good idea, but he trusted him, and knew that if he did see a Walker, he'd warn them, beside Lee was really tired, though he probably wouldn't get any sleep after, you know what, he took a deep breath and decided "OK, Doug" he stood up, Doug was glad to be given this opportunity to prove himself, despite what Lee said, he wanted to prove to everyone that he was capable as a member of the group, willing to do what he could to keep his friends and himself alive.

As Lee stood up, he momentarily stared at Doug, still concerned and unsure but nonetheless he held the rifle out for Doug, he was hesitant for a good ten seconds, he tried to grab it, but retreated, on the third attempt his hand gripped a firm hold of the top half of the rifle, he held it with both hands to get a better feel of the weapon, he was examining it further when Lee stated, obviously worried as his voice indicated "Hopefully, you won't ever have to use it".

Doug hoped so as well as he shook his head, he then reached into his pocket and pulled out a peculiar looking pen, Lee saw it, and being curious as he was, he asked in a friendly and polite voice "What's that you got there?" Doug scanned the item in his hand, purely instincts, though he knew what it was and why he needed it, he hesitated for a bit before responding "Oh nothing… just a laser pointer I picked up during our scavenging trips, never know when it might prove to be useful".

Lee gave Doug a nod of understanding, he agreed, something like a laser pointer could come in real handy, Doug examined Lee's posture and face, he looked tired "You should get some rest Lee, I can manage things from up here" Lee was still unsure of this decision but he was reassured by Doug's confidence, which he rarely was, unless it came to his extensive knowledge of nearly everything, he was also reassured by the fact that "Carley will be up in about an hour, she'll take next watch".

Doug was nervous, though he shook his head in understanding, he dreaded the thought, Lee mirrored his nod, before climbing down the side of the RV, Lee looked up at Doug, for unknown reason, before heading inside the RV, Doug could still feel Lee's movements from inside the RV, Lee had seated himself in between Clementine and Carley, and despite what he saw not long ago, his eyes felt so heavy, he fell asleep within minutes.

Doug sat down on the fold out lawn chair, the rifle rested on his lap, he placed his hands over his face, rubbing his cheeks, nervous, nervous about Carley, he liked her, in fact he really liked her, but her presence always made him nervous, even though they talk regularly as friends, but he never did have very much luck with women because he was so nervous around them.

Carley was different though, she wasn't your typical cheerleader-esque type of gal, she was stubborn at times, sure, but she cared about people, more than once she showed concern about Clementine, because Lee told them all; in secrecy that her parents may be dead. Carley was often seen keeping an eye on Clementine, Lee looked to her for advice, she was superefficient with a gun, she was incredibly knowledgeable in her field of work, and her smile was breathtaking , Doug admired so many things about her; her kindness, her sense of humour, her beauty, her intellect, he sighed dreamily.

Doug was let down upon realising that Carley could never have feelings for him, he wasn't the kind of guy that girls would normally go for, and those subtle hints he has been given from Carley, such as that seductive wink he received after he saved her, or her comment she gave him "My Hero" or anything else, were most likely nothing more than minor teasing.

Doug laid back in the chair, he then looked to the toolbox, curiously, he picked it up, resting it over the rifle on his lap, he decided to open it up, inside he found, wrench's, spanners, scissors, pliers, smaller screwdrivers, as well as smaller components such as bolts, screws, nails, wire, duct tape etc. Doug had an idea, he reached for the Duct tape and scissors with one hand and with the other hand; he closed the toolbox and sat it beside the chair.

Doug's idea was quite original, but then again it was the apocalypse, simple ideas might just save a life, he pulled a decent measure of duct tape and with the scissors, he cut off the amount of duct tape required, and the next step involved the laser pointer, he stuck one end of the duct tape on the laser pointer, below the circular button, he then curved the duct tape around the rifle until it was strapped above the scope, that way he could be more accurate and know for sure where he was aiming.

Doug hit the button for the laser pointer, the beam was stunningly bright, but he wondered whether it was possible to use it in a manner that gets a Walkers attention and lead in a different direction or something similar, he put the duct tape and scissors that were resting on his lap and sat them on top of the red toolbox. Doug stood up from his seat and aimed the rifle at the row of trees, peeping through the scope, he could see the red dot, albeit slightly off the accurate target by one centimetre, Doug realised this technique would be more useful for a gun that doesn't already have a scope, but believed it was a good idea at the time.

"New Toy?" a voice suddenly caught his attention, causing him to jump slightly to the left, juggling the gun for second until he had a firm grip of the weapon, Doug knew who it was, and was partially the reason, he got frightened, it was Carley, standing beside the fold out lawn chair, both hands resting on her hip, looking rather hot, smiling, her red lips as mesmerising as ever.

Doug could feel his insides begin to boil, he panicked, unsure as to how he could respond, he was already consumed by fear, and knew any minute now he would start to sweat, he looked away for a second trying to figure out what to say, but through his shy nature around her, he managed to respond; though uneasy, he was able to speak through stuttering "Oh uh morning Carley what um… what brings you uh… up here".

Doug wanted to mentally smack himself in the forehead; he felt like an idiot, his nervous behaviour was making him look stupid, however Carley didn't seem to mind at all, she smiled her sweet smile, in fact, she believed it was the perfect opportunity to mess with him "I should ask you the same thing, Romeo" she stated in a playful manner whilst choosing to sit down in the fold out lawn chair, and hear what he had to say.

Doug was taken aback by that statement, his heart pumped faster, his cheeks blushed and to make it worse, Carley's eyes seemed rather seductive, though he wasn't sure whether she was doing this because she liked him, or whether she was just having fun teasing him, either way, he cleared his throat, he was wondering whether to tell her the truth or just make up an excuse, not lying, just not the full story "I uh… I couldn't sleep".

Carley could sense he wasn't telling her something "Bad dream huh?" she asked curiously, Doug didn't really want to talk about the dream he had, he decided not to say anything, he felt like a dick for considering this but he really didn't want to talk about it. The silence that Carley received from Doug, concerned her, though he was a bit of a dork, he was a nice guy and he genially cared about people, she didn't like seeing this normally talkative nerdy guy, being so closed off, she looked at him, her eyes provided clear evidence that she was worried "You OK?".

Carley's voice sounded so sincere, Doug noticed the concern edging in her tone, but he couldn't sum the appropriate words, his dream was really troubling him, but he didn't want to say anything that might make him seem weak, but he didn't know what else to say, instead he found himself shaking his head sideways and said "I…" but he couldn't add anything else.

As a news reporter, Carley learned to be patient when trying to bust a big story, but she was quite persistent in uncovering the truths, she worried about Doug, a lot actually, she would never admit to the others of this, beneath the sarcasm, she cared deeply for her friends, including Doug, she grinned slightly as she responded "Not much of a chit-chatter, are you?" though she said it jokingly, her tone was sweet.

Doug looked at Carley, embarrassed, wanting to tell her what the problem was, but would she care? He asked himself, he knew full well she would, but his shy behaviour was twisting the way he thinks, making him quite unsure of himself, he didn't mind her jokey sarcastic nature, in fact he thought it made her more likeable in his eyes, he decided to apologise, hoping she would understand his position, right now "Sorry… my mind's elsewhere, just… thinking through some issues, just… stuff"

Carley noticed a sort of; sadness in his eyes, and even his voice, as she leaned forward in the chair, she didn't like seeing Doug this way, she felt the same way three weeks ago; the day they met Gus, when he was mourning the loss of his friend, or Clementine when Lee went on hunts or supply runs, through concern she asked sincerely "You wanna talk about it?".

Doug looked away from Carley's face, he resisted telling her what was wrong, her eyes made him tense up, his heart was racing at a breakneck pace, he wasn't comfortable revealing anything "Uh it might be… or rather it is a personal matter uh… I'm not too uh comfortable talking about this particular subject matter and-".

"Doug, relax, I don't bite, tell me what's on your mind" Carley interrupted, she spoke softly, even throwing in a teasing comment, hoping to get him to open up, she sat in a manner that made her look ready to listen to Doug's problems, folding her hands together, glancing at him patiently, waiting for him to talk, knowing he would.

Doug realised that Carley was rather persistent and wouldn't give up until she gets him to spill his troubles, he wanted to, he put the rifle down beside himself, took a deep breath and asked "Have you, lost anyone… important to you?".

Carley thought it was a little bit of an odd question, but she guessed that Doug had lost someone close to him, and was hoping to relate with someone who has also lost someone, she wondered why ask her and not Gus? Did he trust her more than Gus? The thought of it, smitten her, trying to hold back a smile or rather a blush.

Carley was thinking through the people she knew, the producer; but she was an asshole as she had previously mentioned to Lee, "Some friends" her camera crew; she considered good friends, or one of the two was, as the other one was a bit of a pervert douchebag, who was only interested in getting into bed with her 'fat chance' she always said to him, he was a tall guy, blond short hair and a hillbilly moustache, but she did consider him an okay guy, if a bit of a prick.

"Nicole; my best friend" Carley added, Nicole was really eager to see the Cherry Blossom festival, so she brought her along, they were friends since they were kids, Nicole was a weather forecaster at WABE, in fact; Nicole convinced Carley to pursue being a news reporter because she has always wanted to go to unique and interesting places; eventually reaching the top of the charts and got work in the middle of Warzones.

"Not so sure about my family, we were never close" Carley explained, her family never approved of her career, as they believed she was a bit of a glory seeker, though it was never the case, and only wanted to see different places, to explore and encounter new obstacles to conquer, she never did any of this without her trusty pistol, she never became a news reporter for the glory; but she didn't mind receiving a full body massage from time to time, that was just one of the perks of being a news reporter.

Carley did miss those people, her family not as much; she looked back at Doug, and remembered that this was about Doug not her. Doug had been listening to her immensely, studying her emotional reactions, she seemed to have let it go, regardless a glint of understanding formed in his eyes, he looked to the ground out of respect and sympathy of Carley's losses, she realised he was prolonging the inevitable explanation she was waiting for.

Carley looked at Doug, he seemed afraid, knowing what was coming, her eyes were like darts, targeting him, but she was genially concerned, she paused momentarily before asking "…did you lose someone?"

Doug felt like his face was about to melt, it wasn't something he was too keen on talking about, it was rough stuff, he brushed his hair back, uneasily as he finally uttered "My uh… Uncle died", he looked at Carley, whose eyes widened and her lips ajar; saddened and shocked to hear of Doug's loss "the uh day before I came across you" he added, he eyes closed tightly, the memories were too much.

The events flashed before him in small bits and pieces, him and his uncle; trapped on a desk top, Walkers surrounded the table, when they tried to climb up, they kicked them away, their situation was grim; half a dozen walkers, and only one way out, his Uncle devised the plan, jumping over the crowd to the dead end corner of the room; the Walkers followed him.

Doug had one Walker still reaching for him, but a good kick to its shoulder, knocked it down, he then leapt over the fallen Walker, to the door leading out of the building, he looked to his Uncle, he was swarmed in the corner, he managed to find a pen, enabling him to stab it into the brain of a single Walker, but then the other four Walkers, crowded him, and before his Uncle knew it, he was on the ground.

Doug's eyes formed tears, he held them in though, Carley was stunned; eyes widened and lips ajar, she was used to hearing bad news while working in Warzones; death and all, but this was Doug, someone she was familiar with, a friend, or perhaps more, she stood up from her seat, her head slightly leaned to one side, her sympathetic eyes completely on Doug, he was definitely affected by his Uncles death, as he looked ready to let his emotions flow naturally "Oh Doug… I'm sorry" she spoke softly, in a caring tone.

Doug didn't expect her to show this amount of concern, he smiled, but Carley could easily tell that it was a forced smile, Doug opened his mouth to continue explaining but the words took a bit of time to come out "My Uncle was trying to be a hero; he distracted the Walkers, allowing me enough time to escape".

Carley edged closer to Doug, he turned his head away, looking at the tall row of tree's; looking at the tree's was like looking at a trail of Dominoes, eventually they'll fall down, but then rebuild, he wasn't sure the same could be said for people. Carley couldn't begin to imagine losing a loved one like Doug has, but she realised something somewhat funny, a light grin appeared on her lips, Doug was sceptical as to why she was, just before taking it the wrong way; Carley softly commented "So saving people's asses runs in the family; makes sense considering you saved mine".

Carley smiled sweetly at him with her hands resting on her hips, Doug appreciated her kind but sarcastic response, she was clearly trying to cheer him up, however a short three second smile appeared, then quickly vanished, Carley's smile faded as well. Bits of images began to flash before his eyes, **Walkers on top of his Uncle**, Doug's eyes squinted depressingly, **Screams from his uncle**, Doug's mouth dropped slowly, **the Walkers were feasting on him, A Walker perked its head up, revealing a bit chunk of his Uncle's flesh in its decomposed mouth**, Doug held his hand over his mouth resisting the urge to puke.

It was the scariest thing he has ever had to endure, **blood was splashing from the crowd of Walkers**, next thing Doug knew, he was wrestling with a Walker he had previously shoved to the ground, he was able to shove it back, the Walker stumbled backwards but eventually; it fell back, and the back of its head clashed with the sharp edge of the desk, not killing it, but it was stunned by the impact, too dazed to get back up.

**The screams from his Uncle had faded, Doug watched in disbelief, the Walkers were feasting on his intestines**, Doug remembered vomiting, **he stared in sadness, the screams had ceased, Doug's eyes glazed with tears, without turning to look back, he ran through the back door of the building, his face soaked with tears, his Uncle was gone forever.**

Doug used his sleeve to wipe away the small trace of tears that formed in his eyes; he was holding them back because of Carley's presence, Carley felt sorry for Doug, she really was; no one should have to lose someone close to them, she felt obligated to embrace him, to hold him and tell him; that everything would be OK, but did she believe it, herself? She couldn't be certain; she stood there in silent, with a look of sensitivity, concerned for Doug's mental stability.

"It should've been me" Doug suddenly blurted out, Carley was confused for a second, then she realised what he meant, her eyes widened, her lips were ajar, 'Doug wished he had died', she was shocked to hear this, she couldn't believe he said that, it should've been him that died, not his Uncle, she found no words to describe how she felt, but she was shaken by this horrific truth revealed

Doug saw Carley's reaction; she was shocked to hear him say that, he worshipped his Uncle, he expected this reaction from Carley; it proved that she cared, he decided to further add to his survivors guilt by expressing how much he worshipped him "My Uncle was capable of hacking into a computer in as little as one minute and three seconds, he had an IQ of 162, he also had an eidetic memory, three times more advanced than my memory of all the codes in AV for a TV remote… I can't even contribute to the group in a meaningful way".

Carley couldn't believe what Doug was saying, she felt quite hurt, hearing it, her stunned expression faded, she believed Doug was a very important member of the group; Carley didn't want Doug talking in this manner; wishing he was dead, that would break her heart. Carley was collecting her thoughts; she took a step forward; standing in very close proximity with him, it caught his attention, regardless of his saddened state.

Doug didn't know what to expect, he half expected her to slap him in the face, but she didn't, her eyes provided real concern, her sweet voice filled with kind words "Doug, you're Uncle gave you a chance to survive, you're just as useful as any of us, and I know Kenny can give you a tough time" her eyes half glared to the corner of her eyes, she continued "That guy can be a real dick sometimes".

Doug was listening intensely to what she was saying, Kenny had nothing to do with his depressed state, she was right about him however, his head half bowed in sadness, her words were so compassionate, she meant every word, Carley gestured her hands at him, gradually placing her hands firmly on her hips, making a strong point "Doug you're smart enough to build an alarm system with nothing but strings, bells and a piece of wood, how is that not contributing?".

Doug realised she had some valid points, but it didn't change his opinion of himself, he began to explain his sorrows; expressing how he felt being a part of this group, but it just made him sound more worthless than ever "Anything I'd like to contribute needs batteries or tools I just don't have...I feel worthless on watch because I'm not wild about guns, and I just wish… I just wish I was more helpful".

Carley understood where he was coming from; she felt the same way during her first year as a news reporter, in fact she was more of an assistant, fetching coffee for assholes who 'wanted a piece', and dealt with her female competition; bunch of stuck up bitches wanting nothing more than to suck an anchor man's… whatever the case she hated that first year. No matter what Doug believed, she didn't believe a word of it, she knew he was incredibly smart, smarter than she could ever hope to be, he didn't believe he was as adaptable to the circumstances, but she believed in him, she wanted Doug to have more faith in himself.

Carley took one more step forward, she stood right in front of him, Doug almost panicked, her big bright beautiful eyes stared at him; compassionately, her red lips were more captivating up close, he swallowed a nervous lump in his throat, he had never been this close to a girl, especially Carley, it was a foreign experience for him; a heart racing experience, more like it.

"Maybe you've forgotten whose ass you saved, twice…" Carley voice was soft and considerate, Doug was caught off guard by her kind words, his jaw half dropped, not sure what to say as she just stared at him, it was like her eyes were staring into his very soul, he believed for a second that he wasn't even breathing.

"Ok, so maybe you're not so handy with a gun, but Lee trusted you to take over his watch, that's something huh?" Doug was contemplating everything Carley was saying, his eyes slowly widened upon realising; she was right, Gus and Lee seemed to put a lot of trust and faith in him, not once had they or even Carley doubted him, Gus was always keen to know what inventions he had in mind, and Lee always supported those idea's, Carley was really hoping to have seen his alarm system in action.

Carley could tell that her words were getting through to him, a slight smile began to surface on her lips, she recalled Doug running some ideas with the group, she decided to highlight this point, hoping it would make him feel good "And you have tons of ideas you can offer, the electric fence idea would've been a hit". Doug was struggling to accept it completely, he half grinned but it quickly disappeared, she knew she was correct about everything so far though, she looked at Doug examining his face, concern still evident in her eyes "… the others trust you" she added with a look of sincerity in her tone.

Doug was finding it tougher to counter anything she said, she had the evidence to back it up, but then from out of the blue, her hand gently touched his cheek, he almost froze solid, her touch was surprisingly soft, pleasant and warm, his heart raced faster than a trains engine, he was in awe as she added in such a soft and caring voice, that sounded quite seductive "I trust you…".

Doug just had this look of straight up awe, unable to speak, her hand gently fell away from his face, she smiled directly at him, she even winked at him; quite deliberately it seemed, Doug cheeks were bright red, he couldn't hide it, Carley was nearing convinced Doug that he was a necessary part of this group, he was beginning to realise she was right all along "you get along with everyone".

Carley had never seen Doug get angry or talk ill of anyone, he tried his hardest to do what was right, remaining neutral when taking sides, or at least until he had all the details to make an appropriate decision regarding who was right, Carley brushed her hair back, the moonlight made her hair shine and sparkle, while smiling directly at Doug, he even smiled back, hardly nervous at all 'for once' she joked to herself.

Carley had been interested in Doug, since he saved her life; when she first got to Macon, Carley admired his intelligence and his gentle kind-hearted nature, for a dork, he was the nicest, smartest and gentlest guy she's ever met, she's met some guys who were total jerks during her years in the News Reporting business, but none matched up to Doug, Carley suddenly added "And Clementine adores you, y'know?" she smiled.

Doug kept a close eye on Clementine whenever he had a moment to spare, he wouldn't risk anything happening to her when Lee was absent, much like Carley, but he never got the impression she adored him, was Carley teasing him? He wondered "Really?" he asked curiously, eager to hear her response.

Carley eyes sparkled beautifully at this distance, Doug realised, she placed one hand on her hip and happily responded "Yep", Doug was surprised at this information, but glad, but then Doug noticed that Carley's smile was really seductive looking, she was probably teasing him again, but he realised she was edging herself closer to him, his heart stopped momentarily, her gem-like eyes were fixated on him, he wasn't sure what was about to happen.

All of a sudden Carley's arms reached around Doug's neck, she was standing on the tips of her feet, because he was taller, then again she was the shortest adult member in the group, her body rested on Doug's, his eyes widened, his face was in awe, her smile was keeping him calm, somehow, despite how paralysed he was, her face was inches away from his, he couldn't speak, was Carley about to-? But before anything else happened; she commented very seductively, almost like a whisper "And she's not the only one" before her red rose coloured lips pressed onto Doug's.

Doug's eyes were as ping pong sized, Carley was kissing him! She wanted the taste of Doug inside her, she was kissing him with such passion, Doug was too paralysed to kiss back, Carley closed her eyes, soaking in the pleasure of kissing a great dorky guy like Doug. Doug was astonished, Carley; a smart, kind, beautiful news reporter was kissing him; a dorky IT guy, Carley was kissing him; he still couldn't believe it, he was enjoying it though, how could he not? This was his first kiss, after all.

Carley had lost herself whilst she was kissing him, she could feel his gentle hands attempting to hold her but he kept stopping himself, as she was kissing him, her hands reached for his; he brought his hands around her and placed them on her lower back, she realised this would make him uneasy but she figured he'd be very uneasy when she departs from the kiss.

Doug could smell her strawberry scented perfume; it was intoxicating, in fact her lips had a rather strawberry-like taste as well, her lips were soft, it was amazing, he never thought a kiss could be this amazing, he was truly content, Carley was sinking into bliss, she knew she'd feel more blissful if he kissed her back, but for his first kiss, it satisfactory, that didn't stop her from indulging herself some more.

It was a full two minute long kiss, before she parted from the kiss, Carley looked up at Doug, she had a satisfied smile, but the way she looked at him, she eyed him seductively still, Doug looked puzzled trying to piece it all together, his jaw was partially ajar, Carley leaned closer to him again, Doug was uncomfortable enough, due to his nervousness, but she leaned closer to his ear and whispered "If we're gonna make this work, you've gotta have to try harder… Dougie".

Doug averted his eyes in all directions, unsure as to how to respond or what to do next, his eyes however found their way to Carley, staring down at her, She seemed so happy, so alive, for the first time since the shit hit the fan, for the first time in weeks; he felt important, he realised now; the group needed him, Carley needed, his life did have purpose. Holding onto Carley made him realise; he had purpose, Lee, Gus, Carley, and even Kenny; they needed his intellect to form new strategies for dispensing Walkers, his mouth was twitching, Carley grew concerned, but then all of a sudden; out of nowhere; a smile emerged on his face; a content smile more or less, it was the smile Carley had waited for, he had reason, he had hope, he had purpose, he was content with all he had to offer, and all that he had; a group of good people who cared about him as he did for them.


	11. Chapter 11 What lies beyond? (Part 10)

**JLOGO is back, here to give you more of what you love; Zombies, drama and characters we love. First off; Sorry for the delay, PS4 is killing my time; in a good way, of course, and I've got a lot on my mind, and haven't been motivated; until now; after reading Guest 1 Rew's first ever story (Too Far Gone and No Time Left), after reading this chapter, go check his story out; it's pretty good, favourite his story, cause he's awesome.**

**Also New Reviewers; CREATOR OF AWESOMENESS; great to have you on board; but I'm sorry, Katjaa and Duck will eventually bite the dust, but it's not anytime soon; so don't worry, and no; Lilly and Larry will not be leading the Bandits; it's a bit of a stretch from who Lilly and Larry are as people. Super mario 675; It's good to have you here too, I'm glad to hear you like my story, and to address your Shel and Becca suggestion; yes we will see them; sometime in Season 4 I think, but not completely sure yet, and yes Rick and Lee's meeting will be awesome, I promise. **

**Anyway I want to give you guys a heads up; this IS NOT the final chapter, as I was writing the final chapter, I realised it was getting too long, and this chapter now; felt like its own chapter, this is someone else's moment, you'll see what I mean, Enjoy **

The skies were blue, with the presence of scattered clouds; the temperature was just nice; warm, considering how chilly it was the night before, there was no sure way of knowing what the weather would be like, if you expected rain, the smell of the air would normally inform you, but with all the dead rotting flesh wondering about; anything nowadays smelt bad, so it was always best to rely on instincts, mostly survival instincts.

In a small town in King County; Georgia; a place for small town folks, a place once safe and untouched by tainted blood, Walkers wondered mindlessly through the streets, into houses, backyards, stores, wherever they last fell a normal man or woman, a Walker rises from that exact spot, to wonder endlessly until they find the next piece of untainted meat to chew on and then the number of Walkers grow some more.

Apart from Walkers not much else wondered the streets, however there were some people in this town, a Police vehicle then drove past the various Walker infested areas, it was going at a speed of at least forty miles an hour, it was getting close to the outskirts of town, a survivor looking to flee this death trap of a place, but then the car started to slow down and then stopped.

The Police Car parked by some road barriers or whatever they are, by what appeared to be King County's Park, on the other side of the road was a nice white wooden house with a thriving garden, the garbage bin sat out the front; full up, more bags of rubbish sitting beside the bin, rubbish was everywhere, no matter where you looked, without much civilization to clean it up, it was a dump, though it could be worse, the survivor in the Police Car seemed to think so.

The Police car door slowly swung open, out of the car; came a fairly tall Caucasian man with a slim figure, a cop, a Sheriff even; he wore track pants with a white strip along the sides, beige colored police uniform shirt, along with his brown US Cavalry/Sheriff's hat, and around his waist was brown police holster; holding his trusty Colt Python; Safety off; he intended to use it, and attached to his shirt; over one of the black straps to his pocket was his label badge; it reads 'Rick Grimes'.

The Man known as Rick Grimes closed the door to his car, walking around it, stepping onto the sidewalk; he then lowered his hat, out of respect? Hardly, everyone was dead, right?** "Don't you get bit"** a voice explained in his head as he walked onto the green patch of grass; the park it was. **"Bites kill ya, fever burns you out**" the voice of a friend told him, as Rick wondered to a short distance, he stopped, curiously examining the spot in the ground; a small spot of empty land, **"After a while" **Rick looked ahead, past the tree's in front of him, where he wanted to go **"You Come back"** he realised what he had to do; now that he knew where to go, he placed his hat back on his head and began the walk to where he had to go, there was something he had to do.

The further Rick got into the Park, the quicker he was realising how close he was,** "You know about the dead people, right?" **Rick then noticed; as he was walking along, he saw a faint greyish coloured blood trail, he was close **"Well, I guess if this is the first you're hearing it, I know how it must sound"**. Rick decided to stop, placing his hand above his eyes to block out the sun, as he looked ahead, he what he was searching for; maybe thirty steps from him, "**They might not seem like much one at a time, but when they're in a group; all riled up and hungry, man you watch your ass" **lowering his hand, he looked ahead, slightly harder, he then shook his head "Okay Morgan" and walked ahead.

The voice was the man who saved his life; Morgan, his son also helped him, Rick realised without them, he'd be dead, and given the position he was in; walking out of an abandoned and abolished hospital, going home to find his wife and son gone. After a shovel to his face and some unnecessary threats, or at least they seemed unnecessary at first; Morgan an African American father and his son; Duane; filled in the blank pages; he was unconscious for about a month, maybe two, Morgan forgot how long exactly, but in his absence, the dead came back to life.

Morgan informed Rick of everything, it was only one day; knowing Morgan, but Rick realised the two were almost the same; Morgan wanted to protect his son, while trying to be a good father, Morgan was definitely a good father, Rick was out to find his wife and son, Morgan's wife never made it, Rick felt sorry for Morgan and Duane for that matter, they were good people, they didn't deserve such a loss happen to them.

Rick's thoughts were put on hold, he approached from behind; A Walker, or half of it at least, a female Walker, crawling along the ground, intestines leaving a dried up trail of blood, the Walker seemed starved, almost dead two times over, it was exhausted, tired, crawling to one last meal. Rick walked in front of it, observing the state of this decaying corpse, kneeling beside it, the Walker's head turned to him, weak moans and growling's came from her.

The Dead girl's face was a wreck, the lips were decaying to the bone, leaving only her gums and bare teeth, scars on her back and under her neck, and her hair's natural colour was gone, Rick saw where she was bitten; the left arm, Rick was processing every detail, once a person, now nothing but a rotting monster, he couldn't stand the sight of it, he averted his eye; staring at the ground, he felt saddened by this, she lazily noticed him, she slowly raised her hand, reaching for him, pointless however, she barely had the strength to open her eyes.

Rick was having real difficulty holding himself together, he knew her, around the neighbourhood, always riding her bike, living happily like a normal young adult should, she was possibly; twenty years old, he clenched his jaw tightly, thinking of the smile of that young girl's face; reduced to this , she was too weak to hold herself up, Rick just… just pitied her, trying to accept what happened to her, he couldn't, it was quite confronting to see the first Walker he encountered, being so humanised, there was still a small glimmer of humanity in her, but if what Morgan said; about his wife, if it was true; this girl was also too far gone.

Though Rick had no desire to do this, he realised it had to be done, he couldn't leave her like this, he couldn't let Leon Bassett; one of his deputies; live like that, just like he can't let this girl suffer any longer, though he was quite hesitant to do what needs to be done, staring down at her, reaching for him, Rick could sense the small glimmer of humanity that she had remaining; was begging; begging for him to end her suffering.

The female Walker growled almost wheezingly, after a good long look at her, and accepting that this was her fate, he tilted his head, looking down at her, it opened her eyes, though it barely managed, he looked into the glimmer of humanity in her eyes, and softly apologised "I'm Sorry this happened to you" he then proceeded looking to the sky as he pulled out his Colt Python, aiming at the girl; she reached one last time before Rick pulled the trigger; the bullet pierced through the eye, through the side of the skull; dead, no longer suffering.

Rick took a moment to let this kill sink in; his mouth twitched a few times, averting his eyes from this girl's corpse, but finally the death sunk in, bowing his out of respect for this once normal girl. Eventually Rick summoned the willpower to climb to his feet and headed back to his Police car.

As Rick got back to the car, he looked around, but he saw no sight of Walkers, but then a gunshot caught his attention, though he remained calm; knowing it was Morgan; doing what had to be done, with the rifle he gave to him, Rick had something else on his mind, he reached into his pocket; to pull out a small photograph of his wife; Lori and his son; Carl.

Lori was beautiful; long dark brown, gorgeous eyes, a smile he saw very little of, even before all this; the relationship between Rick and Lori had hit a few bumps along their years together, but the day he got shot and fell into a coma, was the day Lori said **"Sometimes I wonder if you even care about us at all"**.

The memory alone was enough to hurt him, but at the time he was most concerned about his son; Carl who had to go to school with those words buzzing through his head, Rick realised at times he was more invested in his work as a cop, than he was as a father or a husband, but he'd never say something so cruel to her, especially not in front of Carl; he remembered having this same conversation with a close friend.

Carl was a bright boy; smart, joyful and a really great kid; quite a trouble maker from time to time, but that fact only served to force a small grin on his face, he remembered taking Carl into the next room after what his wife said, kneeling down in front of Carl and telling him **"Carl, I know I may not be always around, I know you worry about me, wondering whether I'm even coming home some nights, but I love you Carl, I want you to know that"**.

Carl shook his head and said **"I know, Dad" **before giving his father a good tight hug, Rick sensed Carl was afraid or believed him and Mom were splitting up, Rick didn't think it was that bad, things weren't easy on Carl, but he was a tough kid, Rick knew it was his job to protect people, his family included.

Rick continued to stare at the photograph of his family, he regretted a lot of the decisions he's made, but finding his family was the only thing that mattered right now, he rested his head on the photo lightly, closing his eyes as he spoke aloud to himself, making a promise to himself and his family "Lori… Carl… I'll find you… I'm hoping you're out there somewhere, alive… and safe… I won't stop until I find you".

Rick lowered the photo, upon hearing another gunshot, he looked down the road where he came from; Rick didn't want to leave Morgan and his son in this Walker infested town of his, but he had to find his family, and get to Atlanta; to be sure it was safe, and hopefully find Lori and Carl, Morgan was capable of keeping himself and Duane safe; considering they've both had one or two months on him, he just hoped for them to remain safe.

Upon hearing another ear piercing rifle round being fired, Rick recalled his friendly handshake with Morgan; he smiled; eternally grateful for all Rick had done for him and Duane, as Rick was also grateful for everything Morgan had done; if he hadn't informed him of what was happening; he'd already be dead **"You're a good man Rick, I hope you find your wife and son"**.

"Stay safe Morgan, Duane… til we meet again someday" Rick commented softly to himself, hoping a part of his message reaches Morgan, hoping it gives him strength to stay safe, and stay alive, Rick then climbed inside his vehicle, closed the door, turned the key, starting the engine and began to drive away, heading for the outskirts of King County, off on his mission to find his Wife and Son, wherever they may be.

**What did you guys think? I'd love to know, the FINAL chapter is just around the corner, also the Walking Dead Game Season 2 is on its way in two weeks apparently; AND... Omid is back, "You ruined that dudes face" yeah him, I'm so happy, and we may see the characters from 400 Days; who stayed at the camp; because there's a picture of Clem and Omid, by the truckstop, where Kenny, Russel and Shel go to. Let me know what you think of Omid's return, and will Kenny come back somehow? let me know, now go and check out Guest 1 Rew's story, you won't regret it, see you guys later; Adios my friends, Adios.**


	12. Chapter 12 What lies beyond? (Finale)

**JLOGO is back, here to bring you all; the GRAND FINALE of Episode 2: What lies beyond? Finally right? Sorry for the long ass delay, I didn't want to submit this chapter, until I was sure it was finished, but after 8 hours of solid writing, its finally done, when I reach the last PART of each episode I'll call them FINALE. I hope all you guys like my story, leave a review, and there is a little bit of a gift at the end, now read on friends.**

Along a long stretch of road was an RV with a set destination; that was the CDC; Centre for Disease Control, It was about eight in the morning, the group of survivors from Macon's Motor Inn, which consisted of Lee, Clementine, Kenny, Katjaa, Duck, Carley, Doug, Gus and Ben were all hoping to find answers as to how the supposed 'end of the world' happened.

At the front of the RV; was Kenny, controlling the wheel, though he wasn't too keen on this idea of heading to the CDC, due to the possibility of it being a dead end, but despite his concerns, he also believed the CDC could very well be a safe place for Katjaa and of course Duck, even Clementine deserved better than this.

Right now Katjaa had just looked back to where the couch, by the door was; as Duck was lying on it, with his legs waving in the air, whilst finishing his drawing of batman, the one he started back at the Motor Inn, he smiled while he was drawing, Katjaa was glad to see him so bright and happy during the darkest of days, or grimmest of situations, knowing he was fine back there, she resumed glancing out the window, the view of open green areas, or farms off in the distance was enough to give Katjaa a sense of hope and tranquillity.

While Kenny was driving, he was receiving assistance from Doug; who was holding out a map for the two of them to glance at, they were forced to take a few different roads, because some were blocked off by rows of cars or Walkers or other obstructions in the way. Doug was studying the possible routes to take, trying to figure out the best solution, he quickly realised the best route to take and explained to Kenny "OK, If we take a left up ahead, we'll be 400 miles from our destination, if I've done the math right, that's approximately; five to six hours, maybe more".

Kenny was glad to have Doug offering him help, he was getting turned around, what with so many roads being closed off and all, though he was irritated to hear it would take five or six hours to get to the CDC "Shit! Okay how far from Atlanta?" he asked calmly, despite his irritation, Doug quickly checked the map and route they were taking and after he knew the answer, he responded " 150 miles, so about two hours, but perhaps going around Atlanta could spare time and fuel" Kenny shook his head agreeing with Doug's suggestion "Yeah that's what I was thinking, sooner we make it to the CDC, the sooner we get our golden ticket out of this hellhole" Kenny replied with a set in his ways look.

Doug wasn't sure what Kenny meant by that; was he referring to Georgia altogether or was that the doubt he had regarding whether they were actually going to find answers or safety at the CDC, Doug was confused, but decided to make a mental note of it, and let Lee know later on, he simply responded "Uh yeah okay" Kenny realised Doug would be wondering what he meant by that, because honestly he didn't want to believe the CDC was safe, 'Wait and see' he thought to himself.

* * *

At the back of the RV, sitting around the table was Lee, Carley, Ben, Gus and Clementine, what were they doing exactly? Right now they had just finished a game of Go Fish, they were now counting how many pairs they each had, Lee eyed Clementine who had that victory grin on her lips, he smiled, seeing her smile was one of the few things he strived to make happen.

Lee had just finished counting his pairs of cards, he declared aloud to the others "Five", Carley gave a satisfied smile "Six" proud to have beaten Lee, because he would occasionally make jokes when she fell behind in other games, Gus looked slightly displeased "Ah, four" however, Ben was the most disappointed and slightly nervous, he was hesitant to respond "Uh… two".

No-one made fun of Ben when he wasn't doing too well at a game of their choice, mainly because they didn't want Ben to feel left out, and because he was still adjusting to being a new member in their group, beside everyone was looking in Clementine's direction, keen to hear how many pairs of cards she had, she happily replied "Nine!".

Everyone smiled at little Clementine, as they each threw their cards into the centre of the Table, Carley happily smiled at her, Clementine looked at Carley, Clem really liked her, she was always nice to her, Carley held her hand out for a high five and said "Girl Power!" Clementine giggled and didn't hesitate to high five Carley "Yay!" she cried aloud, with the biggest grin on her little face.

Lee was gathering and spreading out the cards, in case they play another game later, he noticed how well Clem and Carley were bonding, he was glad, he chuckled lightly, which got the others attention, before Carley could say something clever and sarcastic, he spoke in soft and joking manner toward Clem "Guess I gotta stop letting you win" he said with a huge smile on his face, Clementine simply giggled.

Gus decided to join in on the jokes and pointed out "I stopped letting her win after the first week, she still beats me" he grinned from ear to ear, which let Clementine know he was messing with her, Clementine looked to Gus like an older brother to her, "Not so easy, when someone removes those tiny black spots you put on the back of every card" Carley remarked, everyone glanced at Gus; suspiciously, his eyes had widened in fright, but in an attempt to remove any suspicion, he quickly responded "I've said it a hundred times; they were like that when I found them a-a-and besides even if there were tiny little black spots on the back of every card, I'd never be able to spot them without being super close to them, my left eye is mostly a blur anyway".

Carley smiled delightfully 'That could not have gone better if I planned it', though they were both joking about, best part was when Clementine reached for a stray card and examined the back of the it, Gus had to cover his mouth, to prevent his huge smile from being seen, it was super adorable, Carley and Ben thought so too, hence their smiles, Lee was shuffling the cards together, he smiled upon seeing Clem staring closely at the back of the cards, that and Gus trying to keep himself from bursting into a fit of laughter.

Clem had a very concentrated look; squinting her eyes, but then she realised there were no tiny dots, only the diamond pattern that was on the back of each card "Nope it's clean" she responded in a bright and colourful voice with a cute little smile. Lee shook his head sideways with a pleased smile, Carley caught sight of this and grinned devilishly, seizing her opportunity to tease Lee a bit "What about you Lee, have you been cheating?" .

Gus leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, eager to hear Lee's response, though he doubted Lee would cheat, Ben was leaning back on the couch beside Gus, his arms crossed, feeling a bit left out, finding it difficult to function well in a group of complete strangers, it was Gus, Lee and Carley who invited him into the game, but his thoughts were still on his friend Travis. Carley had seated herself next to Lee and near Clementine, Lee was smiling as he knew he had nothing to hide; well nothing that involved him cheating; the very word instantly reminded him of his wife, he decided not to think about that and pointed out in a calm fashion "Not likely, I was doing an awful lot of fishing if I was".

Carley raised an eyebrow, looking at Lee suspiciously with a lopsided grin, like she was accusing Lee in a tongue and cheek sort of way; Lee knew Carley was just messing with him as a way of entertaining Gus, Ben and especially Clementine, the RV may be small but it was the one thing that provided them with a hint of safety; to engage in pleasant conversation, sharing a few laughs and even forget what was happening around them, well now that they no longer have the Motor Inn at least, but like most things nowadays; it was always short lived.

Clementine was quick to come to Lee's defence "Lee wouldn't cheat" she spoke positively, no doubt in her voice, Lee was grateful to hear that, it showed him how much trust there was between him and Clem, which was great because he sometimes questioned himself; How much did she trust him? Knowing it would be difficult because he was a complete stranger to her, but over the last four weeks; Clementine grew more trusting around him and the others as well, Clementine saw everyone in the group as like a second family until she found her own.

Lee looked at the little girl, while bearing a gratified smile "Thank you Clem" he responded in a soft tone, though Carley was joking, Clementine didn't look so sure, was Carley joking? She wondered, Clem was glad to make Lee feel better, she looked up at Lee with her cute colourful smile, once she saw the grin on Carley's face, she realised Carley was just playing around, like how Hershel was when he said he was going to shoot Lee.

Lee then eyed the news reporter sitting beside him and since she was teasing him, he decided that it works both ways, so he crossed his arms, putting on a similar devilish smile as Carley did, and asked "What about you Carley?" looking at her with an accusing stare, she quickly took the hint, Carley wasn't at all surprised that Lee would find a way to rebuttal her earlier remark, she knew this was Lee's clever attempt at payback, she thought it best to continue this cat and mouse game, as it was amusing Clementine, who was quietly giggling with her hand covering her mouth, enjoying the back and forth banter between Lee and Carley; perhaps a little too much.

Carley pretended to look shocked over the accusation remark, Lee just made, but she was smiling as she spoke, which made it seem more like a joke than a pretend serious matter, Gus was looking forward to hearing this, Carley spoke aloud, feinting offence as she jokingly questioned "Are you implying that I would cheat at a sacred game like Go Fish? I would never blemish such a tradition by sneaking an extra five of clubs up my sleeve". Just as she waved her left hand along the table, a card did indeed fall out of her sleeve, Gus was the first to react, his jaw dropped, and Ben was leaning back in the seat and his eyes widened, shifted from busy minded to shock, Clementine looked disappointed, Lee's head turned in her direction, she looked very afraid, her eyes were as horrified as they would be if a Walker had jumped her "Oops".

"Jesus Carley" Lee responded, almost to a whisper, looking very unimpressed, mainly because it sent a bad message to Clementine; who seemed quite unhappy, based on the look on her face alone; frowning in Carley's direction, Gus was possibly the most shocked, everyone pegged Carley as a very honest person, he started saying something as he picked up the card "Seriously? I mean how could…".

Gus was hesitant for a moment, his look of shock turned to confusion, Ben became curious, he moved closer to get a glimpse of the card "Oh ha-dee-ha" Gus suddenly responded, a grin formed on Carley's lips, Lee was sure he missed something "What it is?" he asked with a sceptical expression, Clementine had her hands covering her mouth, most likely still shocked that Carley would cheat.

Gus glared at Carley, who just smiled in response, then Ben realised what was so funny, he found himself cracking a smile and upon hearing Lee's question, he pointed out "It's the instructions card, man", Gus had a wide irritated smile; it was a joke, a good one too, he was embarrassed how easily he fell for it, nodding his head from side to side, he felt foolish.

Clementine then let out a soft giggle, catching everyone's attention; a realization came to Lee, a joy felt smile was formed; his arms were crossed, glancing at the young girl, who was trying to keep herself from laughing and blowing her act, though she had, Lee now knew it was all a hoax. "Did you know about this?" Lee asked Clementine softly and sweetly, Clementine couldn't hide it and replied in a bright and happy tone "Carley and I; thought it would be funny, it was" she said with a huge grin.

Lee thought for a second that Carley was indeed a cheater, he was glad to hear it was a little prank, now that he thought about it; it was funny, Gus didn't see it coming, he didn't want to admit but he was fooled quite good, as was Ben and Lee "They got us good, they got us good" he declared, rocking his head up and down, smiling through the embarrassment, Carley was crafty, he gave her that. "Yeah, Man" Ben added with a cheesy smile, Gus didn't expect a smile from Ben, knowing he had a lot on his mind, Gus felt bad for not going out to look for his friend; Travis, when he had the chance, but then again if he had, the others may have not survived the Walker invasion on the Motor Inn, Gus wanted to find a way to make it right with Ben, he wasn't sure how, but he would.

Carley looked quite proud of herself, and Clementine too, the shocked expression on Clem's face, worked like a charm, they all totally bought it, Lee was fooled easiest, among them all, she expected it, he'd never allow someone to corrupt that little girl, lying and cheating were bad, Clem understood that very well, which was an obvious relief for Lee, he didn't want her to subjected to such bad examples, Carley saw Lee as the parent figure that Clementine needed, maybe the only closest thing to a family that Clementine had, if what Lee said was true, but she was glad to see Lee taking such good care of her.

Carley was looking at Lee, who gave her an amused smile, Carley figured it was a good way of teaching Lee a lesson for accusing her of cheating; she and Clem had planned it all out, stringed them all like puppets, but they also did it for a laugh "That's what you get for calling a girl; a cheat".

Lee raised both hands; surrendering and remarking "OK, OK I'll give you that one", they all chuckled, it was a nice change of pace, just to relax, enjoy a laugh and get to know each other's true nature, Carley could read everyone here; Lee; a convicted murderer, but a good man, eager to help and protect people and Clem, but she kept her eyes on him, for obvious reasons, Gus; a wacky but optimistic kid, eager to lighten the mood, when a situation became too dark, and he did his best to always do the right thing and help out.

Clementine; a sweet, kind-hearted little girl; who often worried about the safety of everyone, and she showed a likeness for everyone, even Ben or so far at least, speaking of which, Ben; a very shy, and fidgety type, he seemed to be quite jumpy, but based on how Lee found him, she wasn't surprised, but all and all; he seemed like an okay kid. Katjaa; very kind and supportive of everyone, and a devoted wife and mother, she was quick to lend medical assistance, over even the smallest of injuries, but the decisions she makes always seemed to be whatever Kenny believed, even when at times he was wrong, she sided with him, Carley understood why, but she didn't like Katjaa for that one reason, but Carley did trust her.

Duck; way too hyper, was the word for him, but he was a good hearted kid with a lot of spirit, nothing seemed to bother him, which worried her a bit, mainly because he didn't seem to grasp onto what was happening around him, Kenny; was way too controlling of others, stubborn and stupid at times, only seeming to give a shit about his family and to a lesser extent Lee and Clementine, she worried that Kenny's overprotective nature may jeopardise the safety of others, she has been keeping an eye on Kenny as well. Finally Doug; honest, intelligent, cute but really insecure, and as the events that unfolded on the roof of the RV proved; Self-doubtful, he was never very comfortable around her, well now not so much, she smiled, Doug was desperate to prove himself, even to the extent of helping Kenny with directions, and he wasn't too comfortable around him either, mainly because Kenny was too stubborn to see things straight, and because of his sometimes foul temper.

Overall though; Carley liked everyone, they were good people, she felt safe with them, she wouldn't last long on her own, had it not been for Doug, the evidence would have been completely set in stone, once she started walking around; pale skinned, munchies-ridden, blood craving and more to the point; dead. Carley didn't want to think about that right now, the point was she didn't want to let all that was good about these people, just slip away, she wanted to survive, and she stood a chance with all these good people, she visualised a smile on each one of them, she prayed the CDC had answers.

* * *

There was a long relaxing feeling falling upon the group, Lee had packed up the cards, sitting them on the table, they were all just relaxing, Kenny was fixated on the road, not wanting any accidents to occur, though even he was relaxed; his deep love of the road overshadowed the negatives, he considered himself a very country lover, fishing, hunting; it was truly the life he loved.

Ben was laying back in the comfort of these cushioned seats, wandering through his thoughts, he had a lot on his mind, this one week had proven to be especially cruel, he was holed up in a gym; safe and secure; him, Travis, Mr Parker and his classmates, he witnessed Walkers eat some of his friends, Bandits attacked, they… did something, he'd rather forget, but he couldn't.

Ben; witnessing his teacher lose his leg, then die, his best friend abandoning him, and causing these people to leave their safe place, it was all too much, it was weighing him down heavily, though he didn't know what to do about it, he wanted to talk to someone about it, but the fact that everyone was new to him, he was too afraid to.

Lee was just enjoying leaning back on the seats, content with resting, though he wouldn't mind taking a nap, but he didn't think it would be very appropriate; Clementine being wide awake and all, well that and he probably wouldn't manage taking a nap, whilst the RV was moving, every bump in the road, would serve only to keep him awake anyway, though he wouldn't mind reading a book or two, but all there is; was magazines for kids, that himself, Carley, Gus and Kenny had found for Duck and Clem.

Carley was resting back in the seat as well, contemplating the possibility of finding help, or answers at the CDC, it was really bugging her; not knowing the answer. Clementine had pulled out the coloured pencils, Lee found her whilst scrounging abandoned houses, she didn't like that they were stealing, though Lee explained; stealing is wrong, in fact, he didn't enjoy stealing one bit, but food and water were a necessity, and he expressed that a case of pencils was not quite the same level of wrong as stealing a car or a TV, she understood but that didn't mean she liked it, she reminded herself while drawing a unicorn, like the one she started the day, she was attacked by Sandra; her babysitter.

Doug wasn't relaxing, in fact he was searching through the cupboards and taking inventory of all the supplies they had, he felt useful this way, he was writing it down in a notepad he found in one of the motel rooms, he was quite impressed by the amount of food they had managed to stock up on, in fact they had enough food to last four months, and that's including snacks, Carley had a close eye on him, thing was; he knew it, but he had more important matters to deal with, that and he was still struggling to accept whether the moment, he and Carley shared, was real, did she really have affections toward him or was it just a one off.

Gus was resting his arms on the table; bored but relaxed, he observed everyone's content expressions, he sighed, wishing he had something to do to take his mind off some things "Too bad we don't have Scrabble… I would cream you all" he came out and said, almost bragging, just to spark conversation, Clem continued drawing her pretty pink and yellow unicorn, Lee, Ben and Carley heard him, but knew they didn't have very many games apart from Cards, Chutes and Ladder and Chess, though Chess was too hard for people other than Lee, Ben and Doug.

That sound of absolute silence, made Gus embarrassed, he was just itching for a conversation to start, he hated sound silence, especially nowadays, it always seemed to mean something bad was afoot, he was about to lean back in the cushion seat and deal with the silent atmosphere, but Ben was also fed up with sad thoughts, and seeing Gus was the only one trying to lighten the mood with good conversation, Ben explained, forming a slight smile "My parents used to play Scrabble every Friday; I wasn't a big fan though, I just watched my parents argue over the dictionary" it was a humorous and fond memory of his.

Gus was relieved that someone was listening to him and talking, he never expected it to be Ben however, but he was glad nonetheless, although he kind of wished he was, he had plenty of wacky tales to tell, he was curious though "How can you not? It's a test of true intellect, that is why, they call me; The Scrabble Master" putting his hands up, forming two L's with his thumbs and index fingers, and swayed them apart, like he was presenting his name on a banner or something.

Ben's eyes widened, slightly freaked out by his self-proclaimed status as 'The Scrabble Master' averting his eyes in Lee and Carley's general direction, they both looked at one another, unsure of how to respond, they realised Gus was sometimes strange, but not in a bad way, just in an awkward type of way.

Though Gus's Scrabble comment did make Carley think about the lack of entertainment, the one thing she missed; well apart from Coffee was music, any kind of music would do at this point, she glanced at Lee and decided to make a remark on the matter "Shame the radio's busted, could go for some music bout now", Lee agreed, anything to keep their minds occupied, long trips were incredibly dull without books or music, and they had neither.

Gus had a solution however, remembering all those drama classes he took back in High School, he cracked his fingers under the table, and cleared his throat, "Allow me" he commented, the others had their eyes on him, wondering what he was about to do, Clementine ceased her drawing, curious about what Gus was doing, he cleared his throat one more time and before anyone could guess, he began to sing "On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again, the life I love is making music with my friends, I can't wait to get on the road again".

Everyone recognised that song; Willie Nelson's; On the road again, Lee, Carley, Ben and even Clementine; thought he was pretty good, it wasn't quite the same with the guitar strumming in the background, Gus was about to start the next verse, but a certain someone was not a fan "Kid, keep it down back there, hard enough concentrating on the damn road for Walkers, without having obnoxious crap like that in my head" Kenny shouted harshly to the back of the RV, Katjaa looked at her husband, with a scolding expression, knowing Gus was only trying to lighten the mood, Kenny ignored her, focusing on the road.

Gus was startled at first, but he somehow half expected Kenny to bitch about it, heck he complained the most out of everyone in the group, he was slightly hurt by the words Kenny used 'obnoxious crap', to describe his singing, he didn't take it to heart though, that was just who Kenny was, he formed a slight smile and sarcastically responded "And that is why; we can't have music".

"I thought you were really good" Clementine's sweet little voice commented, Gus felt his cheeks burn red, praise often did that to him, "Thank you Clementine, that's really nice of you to say" Gus thanked, he really appreciated those kind words, Clem simply smiled, she was happy to make someone else feel good.

Lee was proud of Clem for her good kind-hearted deed, "He was pretty good, huh Clem?" he stated, eyeing her with a proud glimmer in his eyes, and smile on his face, "Uh huh" she added kindly, Carley was impressed also, despite what Kenny said, "No argument here" she spoke partially to Lee, and partially to Gus, "Yeah totally, that was awesome, man" Ben remarked with kind words, Gus and Ben shared a friendly smirk.

Gus really did appreciate the praise he received, it was quite an unfamiliar sensation actually, he never did receive much praise from his family, though he understood why; he wasn't exactly a 'hard worker' outside his daily job at the Macon Toy Shop 'Toys & Me', maybe the expectations were too high? He really didn't know, thinking about his family was tough for him, considering everything that happened, he was constantly thinking of his brother and sister; who might still be alive, and anyway he really did appreciate the praise, he smiled at each one of them, which was his way of saying "Thank you".

"Hey guys" Doug's voice called out, Lee, Carley, Ben and Gus looked to him curiosity, "I was doing a little digging around earlier, and I found this in one of the cupboards" he presented what appeared to be an old grey 'ICON' brand Radio of sorts, Lee and Carley were stunned beyond words, Gus leaned forward, closer to the table, to catch a glimpse 'Oh hell' he thought to himself, upon realising it was a radio "God, I forgot all about that thing" he stated, he was somewhat relieved; in a way to see it.

Lee realised how valuable that radio could be, considering they had very little knowledge of what was going on, thinking that maybe there might be like a broadcast update; explaining what's causing the dead to walk, or maybe even a place to go, that would be safe for them and the kids, Lee suggested his idea, mainly to Doug and Carley "If we get it working, we might be able to find out what's going on out there" it was a very logical response, one that they all agreed with.

Doug handed the radio in Lee's direction, but Carley reached for it first "I'll see if I can get it working" she stated, eyeing Doug in a seductive fashion, his cheeks lightly blushed, no one seemed to notice the way Carley was looking at Doug, though Lee realised there was a connection between the two, he thought the two were a good match, for some reason; he believed so, as did Gus; who was actually the only one who noticed the look of temptation she was giving Doug, he was happy to know the two were close, he could tell something happened between the two, but he'd ask Doug later, when his mind wasn't so preoccupied.

Lee had no issue with Carley fixing it, in fact; as a news reporter, she most likely had plenty of experience with radio's "Good idea, I'm gonna check up on Kenny and Katjaa" Lee stood up from his seat and walked to the front of the RV, wanting to inform Kenny of the radio, and find out how long until they reach the CDC, and just see how he and Katjaa were feeling about things in general.

Doug stepped aside to allow Lee to pass, he looked back at Carley; who used the radio to cover her face, from an angle, so Gus, Ben and Clementine, making it look like she was examining the radio up close, so that they couldn't see her seductive smile or her gorgeously attractive and alluring eyes, she was giving Doug, just to see him panic, it was always a cute reaction, he formed a slight smile, one that would go unnoticed, but once again; Gus noticed what was happening, he was tempted to say 'Get a room' but he wouldn't say that in front of Clementine, or Carley; she'd probably throw a shoe at him again.

Gus suddenly clapped both hands together, startling Carley, Clem and Ben, not purposely, and declaring "If you'll excuse me I have to uh relieve myself" he chose those specific words out of consideration for Clementine, he didn't like cursing very much, especially when Kenny opens his mouth, he didn't like that the man had no considerations around Duck, Clementine or anyone in regards to his foul language. Ben shifted his legs to the side of the cushioned seat, in order to allow Gus to squeeze through, and as he headed for the tiny bathroom/toilet, Carley sarcastically responded; with a hint of seriousness in her tone "Thanks for the unwanted information".

Gus didn't look back, he just smiled to himself, and declared in a smug manner "You're Welcome", Carley knew it was all in good fun, just having a joke; she liked that about him.

Gus opened the door to the small toilet, he made sure to close the door behind him, the toilet seat was up when he came in, he gently closed it, before sitting down, he looked at the lock on the door, it was a flip lock, there was a little green indicator, that read 'VACANT', he flipped the lock, turning the knob until it read 'IN USE' in red.

Gus simply sat there, he had a lot on his mind of late, he just wanted a moment to reflect, he was leaning forward with his hands close together, his eyes began to slope, the smile he had on his face seconds ago, faded, after a solid minute not moving, he sat back up, his mouth was slightly open, his facial expression, was not a happy one.

Gus slowly reached into his right pocket in his track pants, only to pull out a wallet, a brown wallet, he stared at it, with a blank expression, slowly he began to unfold it, as he did; he looked as if he didn't want to, at a snail's pace; he reached inside his wallet, he found what he was looking for; a photo, a photo of his family; he missed so much.

Gus placed his wallet back into his pocket, with both hands; he held the photo, his hands were beginning to shake, he looked at his family photo; his breathing became short and sharp; he just looked at the family in his hands. His Dad; tall, messy black hair; like Kenny, he even had a moustache, only smaller, his mother; not quite as tall as his dad, short blond hair, though stripes of her natural hair colour; which was dark brown; was visible. His younger brother; Matt; he looked a lot like a younger version of himself; only skinnier, and of course there was his sister; Jessie; long blond hair; for an eight year old, but her eyes were the same as their Mother's.

Gus's eyes began to tear up, his bottom lip began to quiver, uncontrollably, he tried to stop it by closing his upper lip over his bottom lip, he could feel a sore lump down his throat, he could feel his throat starting to well up, seconds later he could feel his insides jump about, tears were now streaming from his eyes, he couldn't stop himself anymore, he burst into tears, silently sobbing.

As he cried uncontrollably; he decided to take off his glasses; sitting them on a shelf above the toilet, he had to, tears were watering down his cheeks and into his mouth, or down his neck, his throat became numb from crying so much; he missed his family, he wanted to go home; to Macon; and live on as if nothing had ever happened, but realised he'd be fooling himself, his Mom, Dad, Aunts and Uncles; dead, he felt horrible for not mourning them sooner, and not knowing the fate of his brother and sister; served to make him feel that much worse.

Snot began to stream out of his nose from how hard he was crying, he wanted to keep it quiet though, he was a wreck right now and didn't want to concern anyone, and the group had enough on their minds without worrying about him. Gus reached into his other pocket, pulling out a handkerchief; he used it to wipe away the snot running down his noses, but the harder he tried not to cry, the more he did, his vision blurred; pooled with tears, he was scared; scared of losing the only people he now knew as his second family.

The group viewed Gus as a very happy-go-lucky; optimistic type, but as they learned the day he met them, he was quite sensitive and fragile, he's lost everything from the very start, but more than anything; he's lost the most, there was to lose, he felt empty most days, often trying to hide his sorrows with a smile, this group was the only thing keeping him alive.

Gus planted his hands over his entire face, tears falling into the palms of his hands, soaking wet, his body jerked as he produced more tears to cry, his throat was numbing quicker by the second, his cheeks were heating up, he chose to just sit there and sob; breaking down into a fit of sadness, regret and pain, slumping his shoulders, letting all his emotions plummet to the ground, he had lost so much, he often asked himself; why did he survive? He regretted nearly every decision he's ever made.

Ever since he met this group of good people, he saw them as a second chance; a second chance to prove he was a good guy, he wanted to prove to his deceased family; that he could be a better, stronger and smarter person than he ever was before any of this shit started happening.

Gus descended to his deepest darkest sorrows to summon the tears needed to heal his aching heart, hoping to find solace in at least something, but he couldn't; he needed time, reflecting on his past made him realise more of what a total asshole he was, he had so many faults, and upon realising he even deserved the chance to redeem himself, made him sick to his stomach, he deserved nothing, he thought to himself; I have nothing, I deserve nothing, I… am… nothing.

* * *

Katjaa was enjoying the ongoing view of the countryside; reminding her of what life was like before everything happened, Kenny felt the same way; his love of the road; overshadowed the negatives of this plan of theirs, Katjaa turned to look over her shoulder; to see Lee in the doorway, his presence gave a positive feeling; she liked Lee; he was a good man, considering all he had done.

"Hey guys" he greeted, the friendship between Lee and Kenny was at an all-time high, despite their differences of opinions from time to time, Kenny was thankful to have met him "What up pal? Something on your mind or ya just bored out of ya mind, I know I would be if I were back there without some whiskey to keep things interesting".

Same old Kenny, Lee thought to himself, before responding in a friendly fashion "Nah just thought I'd check up on you guys, we doing okay?", Kenny was conflicted, quite a bit actually, he doubted how well things would turn out for them, though he did understand where Lee was coming from, Lee wants to find Clementine a safe place, just like he does for Duck and Katjaa, but the CDC sounds too risky.

Kenny had a shifty look, from the corner of his eye, as he looked at the man beside him "Well, honestly? We're on the road to what could be a dead end, with Walkers itchin to chomp our asses, and-" Katjaa intervened, "Kenny…" she retorted, out of annoyance of her husband's overbearing nature, before she looked to Lee with a sweet considerate expression, adding "We're fine Lee", Lee was fond of Katjaa; as a friend, she was always supportive of him, from the very start really, she always looked at him with kind eyes, he liked that about her.

Kenny took a breather, realising how unsupportive, he's been, toward Lee, considering all he had done for him and his family, he decided to calm down, they were all scared; he knew it, he was the only one that clearly showed it.

As he was fixed on driving, he spoke aloud to Lee and Katjaa, seemingly calm "Guess it's not too bad, always was a fan of driving through the countryside, growing up in Florida; makes you appreciate stuff like that, the countryside sure does bring out the hillbilly in people".

Lee was glad to hear something positive come out of his mouth for once, remembering that his attitude was becoming increasingly difficult in the last week, he was constantly looking at Gus, blaming him for some of their problems, Kenny almost flipped his shit when both Gus and Doug; suggested rationing their food, despite the fact that there was clearly enough to keep them going for a while, though they only suggested for when they had to start rationing, precautions, Lee thought it was smart to plan ahead, Kenny felt Gus was trying to run things, bossing him around, even though he wasn't.

Lee didn't really relate to Kenny on the matter, he loved the countryside sure, be never had the time to appreciate it, but Kenny displayed numerous stereotypes of a redneck, which was enough to make him understand, well that and his love of the road "Heh, no kidding" he chuckled in response to his own conclusion.

"How's Clementine doing?" Katjaa suddenly asked, being the caring person that she was, Lee appreciated her concern, Katjaa cared a lot for that little girl, almost as much as she for her own son.

Lee turned to look back at Clem, who was happily occupying herself with her drawings, he noticed Carley was watching her for a second as well, she thought that little girl was a treasure, she smiled; joyful emotions tugging at her heartstrings; seeing this little girl so content with something as simple as drawing a unicorn, it was cute.

Lee simply smiled at the scene, Carley looked in Lee's direction, she was trying to tinker around with the radio, but it seemed as if whatever she was doing to make it work wasn't… you know working, Lee stated whilst turning his head to look down at Katjaa; comfortably seated in the passenger's seat "She's fine, even with everything going on, she's managed to keep her spirit, I worry bout her, but it's nice knowing she hasn't given up hope".

Katjaa acknowledging shook her head, Lee would do anything for that girl; she knew this; remembering the Walker that grabbed Clementine in the Alleyway, he didn't hesitate to save her, risking his own life to preserve that little gem, Kenny had something he wanted to say, but he figured it could wait until later on, when he could have a discreet conversation with Lee about Clementine.

"How long do you think, until we get there?" Lee asked out the blue, Kenny hesitated for a few seconds, he was too busy thinking about that talk he wanted to have, he didn't quite hear all the words, he was quickly piecing together what he did hear, upon realising what Lee said, he regained his calm composure and responded "If Einstein's right; bout five, six hours, that's assuming we don't come across a parade of those dead fuckers, or road blocks made from burning cars, we'll be golden if things go as smooth as they should".

Lee didn't really see that happening, based on previous experiences; heck the day it all started was seeing him being transported to prison; that didn't go so smooth, the Police Officer's decomposed face was a reminder of that, as was the Motor Inn; they fooled themselves into thinking that place was safe; the place they called home now; was more or less the RV, it wasn't all bad, but it wasn't all that great either.

Lee was praying things go as planned, for three weeks at the Motor Inn; it seemed to, except on those days they found nothing whilst hunting, the group was capable; he had faith in that very fact, "Hopefully that won't be a problem" Lee's hopes were quite high, hoping that no one dies, hoping the CDC had answers, hoping the CDC was a safe place to hunker down, hoping to find more survivors; good ones.

"You and me, both Doc" Kenny muttered, as he was rather preoccupied with the road and his thoughts; regarding the safety of his family.

Lee was curious regarding the whole plan, or rather he was curious about what Kenny thought of the group's plan, he seemed none too happy about it, Lee's eyes sloped halfway, looking down at Kenny, who was too busy to notice, Kenny knew Lee was still there, he was always there.

Lee was not too keen to ask this question "So what's the plan?" Lee expected a half-ass remark about the people running the CDC, it was frustrating; knowing he would, Lee just couldn't understand why Kenny couldn't see the logic in this plan, wishing Kenny would back him up this once, he told Kenny yesterday; back at the Motor Inn "The coast does sound like the smartest option", he figured Kenny would return the favour at some point, he didn't take it to heart though, he didn't really have a wife or child, therefore could never truly understand the position Kenny was in.

Kenny already had the plan all thought out, it was quick and simple; just the way Kenny wanted it "We get in, find out what the assholes in lab rat coats know, then we work from there", Lee crossed his arms; looking down; half disappointed, but Kenny then went on to remind Lee of the deal they had established "But I ain't forgetting what we agreed; if this hellhole's a dead end, we hop on the next boat outta here".

Lee could hear bits of anger in the man's tone, he was none too pleased with it, Lee swore Kenny was half glaring at him, Lee half glared also, he wasn't afraid of Kenny, like some of the others; like Doug, Gus claims he's not, but Lee knew otherwise and Ben was clearly afraid of Kenny; especially when he was angry.

Lee could feel a small burning anger at the pit of his stomach, toward Kenny; he was slightly irritated by Kenny's doubt in the plan, and persistence with finding a boat, Lee chose to be the better man, his eyes soften, arms crossed still, as he responded in a calm and understanding manner, with a hint of slight annoyance "I hear you Ken".

Katjaa could see the inner conflict, he was clearly dealing with, she could tell that Lee had some words to say to Kenny, but chose not to say them, Kenny wasn't being very supportive of this plan, of Lee, she wished Kenny would be more supportive, considering the great lengths he was going; in order to protect this group, and she'd never forget what Lee did; to protect their boy, she owed that man more than anything she could give.

Which reminded her; she hadn't even properly thanked Lee for what happened that day, seeing Lee looking rather unimpressed with her husband, felt like the time to bring it up, she smiled "Lee…" she spoke in a kind soft tone of voice, Lee glanced in her direction; curiosity shaping his eyes, Kenny was curious also, wondering what Katjaa had to say "I never did thank you for saving Duck back at Hershel's farm".

Lee never really expected thanks; he did what anyone would've done, Duck is a good kid, he wouldn't be able to live with himself; knowing that a little boy died, when he had the opportunity to do something, he appreciated the thanks regardless, even though Kenny has thanked him plenty times already.

Kenny couldn't begin to show how much he appreciated what Lee did to protect Duck from those monsters "Dunno what woulda happen if you hadn't done otherwise", Kenny had a frightened look in his eyes, as he spoke; in a very bland but gratifying tone, he didn't want to think about it; losing his son; would probably kill him, Lee prevented that from happening, ever since what happened at Herschel's farm, he kept his eyes concentrated on Duck and Katjaa, at nearly every chance he could; thinking back to Herschel's farm was not easy for him, Shawn's death weighed heavily upon him, even after Lee consulted him to 'Let it go', he couldn't.

Lee simply smiled, the thanks was unnecessary he thought, or maybe he was a bit too modest, either way; he appreciated, Kenny and Katjaa's praise "You guys don't need to thank me; I did what anyone woulda done".

Kenny had no doubts about that, Lee was a good man, but the thought of Shawn dying, was all that kept coming to mind when thinking back to Lee saving Duck's life, it was haunting him, he blinked a few times, and lightly shook his head, trying to brush the memory away "Nevertheless Lee, we appreciate it" Lee smiled down at his redneck friend, equally thankful for sticking by him, even if Kenny was doubtful of their CDC plan, he had every right to be, looking at Katjaa with a smile also, and over his shoulder; seeing Duck happily paddling his legs in the air, whilst drawing, Kenny was a lucky man to have a family as great as his.

As Kenny reminded himself of what he was meant to be doing; focusing on the road, he did just that, but his thoughts were jumping back to Shawn; had Shawn not invited them back to the farm; who knows where they would've end up, **"KENNY!"** Shawn's voice was travelling into his head **"HELP ME" **Kenny gritted his teeth, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry, so… so just… I'm so FUCKIN sorry, Please'.

Kenny was fighting back the memories, he applied pressure on his forehead; with his index and thumb; hoping it might subdue the horrible thoughts, and the addition of thundering ache on his forehead, the guilt-ridden dreams he had on occasion; was enough to deal with; without causing a pounding sensation in his head "Ken?" Katjaa's voice questioned him, looking rather concerned "I'm fine, just a little restless" Katjaa heard what he said, but doubted his answer, Lee wasn't convinced either, but before he could further question his stability; Kenny added "Speaking of which; ya'll gonna wanna think about resting up, we got a long stretch to go, before we hit the CDC".

Lee shook his head, they could all use a rest, then again so could Kenny, but knowing him, he wouldn't be resting anytime soon, if he offered to drive for a bit, Kenny would most likely refuse, then again Lee wasn't ready to rest just yet, the radio was offering a glimmer of hope, he was quite anxious, anxious in a rather cautious sense of course.

Lee decided that maybe he should check back with Carley, thinking that the radio would be working any moment now, and didn't want to miss it, at this point Lee was beginning to think Katjaa had psychic powers, as she looked to him; with a smile and a nod of understanding, he realised there was something very important to be done; getting that radio 'operational' as Doug would put it, he gave her a friendly smirk, a nod; before carefully manoeuvring his way to the back of the RV, past Doug, who was still taking inventory, and to where Carley was seated.

Kenny could sense Lee's presence; no more, he had so much running through his head right now, and Lee seemed like the only one who understood the position he was in, as a family man, he may not admit it, but he trusted Lee; saving Duck, sticking at his side, everything 'God dammit Lee' he mentally cursed the man for being so right about the CDC 'I hope this ain't a wild goose chase… I really do'.

Carley had the radio, lying down on the table, observing the many switches that came with the device, she was sceptical; nothing she did seemed to work, as Lee approached, she found herself looking at the man with soft eyes, placing her hands on her hips, Lee was curious; she looked defeated, Lee was slightly scared, was it busted? He wondered if that was why she was giving him the soft eyes, seconds later; his curiosity turned to words "How's the radio coming along, Carley?".

'Obviously not well' she thought to herself, Carley had tried every possible thought that came to mind, nothing seemed to do the trick, she was thinking of getting Doug to have a peek at the problem, considering how tech suave he was, but Lee was here, so maybe he could, she flashed a smile "Good" she proudly responded, momentarily pausing, before admitting "If I could get it working".

Lee cracked a smile, secretly rolling his eyes "Here, let me have a look at it", Carley didn't seem fussed, knowing Lee had a better chance of fixing it than she did, tech stuff wasn't exactly her forte, Lee didn't hesitate upon being given this opportunity, reaching for the radio, he held it in the palm of both hands, examining it before tinkering about, he wanted to make sure he did not wreck it beyond repair or something.

As Lee studied the radio in his hands, the first thing he did, though quite an obvious reaction to have, and that was pressing the power button "Hmmm nothing" he murmured quietly, sharpening the look in his eyes, for a brief two seconds, before studying the two tiny knobs, one labelling the AM/FM tuner, and other knob was for controlling the volume, 'As loud as it's getting', referring to the volume switch on high, regardless; it ceased to function.

Lee thought to tamper with the tuning, there was a sharp arrow in a rectangle shaped section with numbers, and the arrow was pointing between 94 and 106, he was thinking of tampering with it but considering the volume was on high, and assuming the radio was actually 'On', which it clearly wasn't, he figured he would have at least heard; a feint static sound of sorts by now, so something was wrong, which began to startle Lee, but he hadn't given up hope yet.

The only other logical explanation, Lee could think of; was that maybe the batteries were dead; it seemed the most plausible, though he hoped his assumption was true, he turned the radio around, until he was staring at the back of it, there was a rectangle shaped spot, where the batteries go, eager to get this radio going; he pulled back on the slider, only to reveal "There are no batteries in this thing" Lee responded in dismay.

Carley was baffled upon hearing the problem, her eyes formed confusion "What now?" she blurted out, clearly puzzled by what he just said, "You know that there are no batteries in this thing?" he asked out of sheer curiosity.

Carley's expression was a sceptical one, her natural instincts kicked in; embarrassment, her eyes half closed; her teeth gritting nervously "Yeah, of course" she replied in a cheerful sort of manner, but Lee could hear a hint of uncertainty and denial in her tone and voice, he eyed her suspiciously, Carley noticed the look he had given her, and out of panic and embarrassment; she added "I mean, yeah" Lee bowed his head slightly, staring at Carley; certain now; she really didn't , Carley knew that Lee knew now, she gave a sideways nod, averting her eyes and her tone went completely 180, confessing "No".

Though Lee thought that Carley's lack of knowledge regarding the radio, was somewhat strange, but he didn't judge her for that, instead he decided to assist Carley with getting the radio working, starting with some batteries "I can try to find some, needs two" he explained in a polite and friendly manner, whilst wondering where in the RV, would there be any batteries? if any.

Carley appreciated the fact that Lee didn't make fun of her, for her lack of technological understandings, as a news reporter; all she did was gather the information necessary to cover her stories, her camera crew were responsible for recording equipment, and other stuff like that.

Carley half smiled, before showing her gratitude and further explaining the circumstances she was in "Thanks, I wouldn't even really know what to look for", once again revealing information about herself, she found embarrassing, Lee figured Carley would know all about this sort of equipment, guess not, but now there was a bigger question, where could he find batteries?

Lee's first inkling was to check out Doug, see if he's turned up on batteries, while taking an inventory count, seemed logical enough.

Lee once again, manoeuvred through the RV, until reaching Doug, who was perfectly still, where he was standing; the cupboard's door blocked the way to the front of the RV, Doug was holding what appeared to be a clipboard, and was just finishing writing down the next item on a piece of paper attached to the clipboard, before realising Lee was there.

Doug wasn't at all startled by Lee's sudden appearance, like he was back at the Motor Inn, there were no bells involved to hit his head this time, "Hey Lee" he greeted with a concentrated look, Lee responded in an equally friendly manner "Hey".

Lee stood there, observing the process of taking inventory, writing down the item, and the appropriate amount of that particular item, smart, Lee was glad to have someone like Doug; planning ahead and taking precautions, much like Gus, who made supply runs and hunts; a regular thing; in order to preserve their supplies, Doug, Carley, Gus and Katjaa were the smartest and most level headed of the group, Kenny was far too stubborn, and Ben as a new addition; put him in corner until further notice.

Lee brushed away those thoughts for now, in order to focus on the task at hand; Batteries "You haven't seen any battery's by any chance, have you Doug?" Lee questioned Doug through calm and friendly mannerisms, Doug formed a look of complex thinking, he quickly skimmed through the inventory checklist that he's made so far, and from his recollection of memories, he was thinking to the finest detail, Sherlock style; thumb resting on his cheek, with his index finger resting under his chin, before coming to a steady conclusion "Actually, now that you mention it, that's one thing, I didn't see any while taking inventory, not a single battery".

This piece of information was quite disappointing to hear "Damn" he responded through irritation of the luck they were having, swaying his head to his right, baring his teeth; aggravated and disappointed to say the least. Doug thought it was odd that he hadn't seen a single battery, though he remembered Gus mentioning that he keeps spares on him at all time, mostly at night, encase the generator ran dry of juice; and needed flashlights or lamps, Gus was probably the best bet in that regard then.

Doug came out with this information, by saying "Maybe ask Gus" Lee's head instantly perked up, curiosity getting the better of him, or intrigue more like it, nevertheless he listened to Doug's explanation with full interest "I do recall him mentioning; he had a good supply of them somewhere, might be worth asking him".

Lee figured that was a good idea, Gus knew pretty much all the ins and outs of everything they do, that and he seemed to have far more knowledge about Walkers than any of the others, so he was often prepared for a 'worst of' situation like this, Lee was grateful for this uplifting piece of information "Thanks", Doug was always glad to help, the two; friendly smiled at one another "No problem Lee" the tech guy replied before returning to his inventory setup.

Doug allowed Lee to get past the cupboard door to check out Gus; who's been in the toilet for quite a while now, which concerned him a bit, Gus was like his best friend; albeit younger; himself being thirty-three years old, Gus was what? Twenty-two? Twenty-three? He couldn't remember, regardless; the immense knowledge they had, made them quite the pair of friends.

Just as he opened the cupboard door again, once Lee got through, he found himself looking in Carley's direction, she was resting herself over the table, arms resting against the table top, watching Clementine colouring, he couldn't help but summon a grin to his face, and he still couldn't completely comprehend the fact that Carley; a beautiful, strong, smart news reporter; was falling for him; of all people; she likes the IT Guy.

Carley then turned her head in Doug's direction, a seductive smile was the first thing she mustered, seeing Doug so mesmerised was one of those 'enjoy the little things' moment, Doug realised he was blushing, he wanted to hide it but he found himself so captivated that he couldn't, Carley quietly giggled to herself; finding his nervous behaviour quite alluring, it tickled her fancies, if you know what I mean, but just to see him staggered or better yet; stunned with happy thoughts; she then pulled off a seductive wink in his direction.

Doug's face looked all screwy, like he was trying hard not to smile, but instead his cheeks were becoming as red as tomatoes, much to Carley's delight, Doug knew what she was doing, but he fell for it, nonetheless, it had only been one night, but since then; they were really close, Carley was almost shocked to see Doug adapting to their new relationship, quite well; not once did he try to look at her; get frightened when their eyes met, and look away, this little fact gave her hope for the both of them.

Lee was standing by the bathroom/toilet door, he wasn't sure why; but he found himself leaning his ear against the door, it was quiet, which concerned him greatly, but he heard short sharp breaths, so he didn't assume the worst, he figured Gus might've had stomach aches, after drinking a glass of expired milk, Gus hadn't realised it was expired until Carley pointed it out, Gus might be the only one who could get the radio working, if he has any batteries that is, but even if he doesn't; the CDC was still that glowing light they need to get to.

"Gus, you okay in there?" Lee asked, after knocking on the door, there was a good six seconds of silence, Gus realised his hesitation would attract Lee's concern, so after taking a deep breath, he responded through his joking mannerism, to hide the sadness in his voice "Just swell, there's a tea party in here, care to join?", Lee was disgusted by the invitation, though Gus was only trying to mess with his head, it worked; as Lee quickly replied in a medium tone of voice "No way".

Gus expected a reaction like that, he was using his sleeve to remove the tears that were streaming down his cheeks; he wasn't ready to come out yet "So uh, what can I do for ya Lee? Or can it wait until I'm done?", Lee would wait, but he was far too keen with getting the radio fixed, besides he only needed to know where the batteries were, then he would grab them himself, and plop them into the radio.

The sooner he gave Lee the details as to the whereabouts of the batteries, the sooner he gets a few more minutes to compose himself, he had no intention of letting anyone know; he was having a small mental meltdown, after sighing a breath of air; we said "I keep a bunch of batteries, stockpiled inside my backpack, they're in a white plastic bag, I've got plenty to go around, but try not to rearrange anything, so help yourself. You know where my backpack is right? It's beside where Ben's sitting; I'll be out in a minute anyway".

Lee was pleased to hear that there were in fact some batteries in the RV, he was quite relieved, Doug allowed Lee to get through once again, Doug was close to finishing his inventory checklist, anyway Lee headed to the back of the RV, and beside Ben was Gus's backpack; like he said.

Lee didn't waste time, kneeling down in front of the backpack, he unbuckled the backpack, lifting the flap off the top, he peeked inside; Gus had plenty of stuff inside his back pack, the first thing he saw was a flashlight, two flashlights actually 'Smart' he thought to himself, he didn't move it, just as Gus asked him not to, he reached in deeper, his fingers dragged along; what felt like a hand gun; of sorts, as he dug deeper he found two more, Gus always kept spares encase someone ran out of ammo, whilst hunting, that backpack and Gus were inseparable, but so far they hadn't had to use the spare guns, in fact they rarely raised their guns on Walkers, because Gus insisted they do anything other than fire a gun, he knew what that meant for them, certain Walker invasion.

Gus also kept some snacks at hand; just in case, and as Lee reached deeper into the back pack, he found what he was looking for; a white plastic bag; full of batteries, enough to run forty flashlights, or twenty Walkie-Talkies "Jackpot, now we can get the radio working, hopefully" Lee spoke aloud to himself, with a small bit of doubt in his voice, trying not to think about the uncertainties he had.

Ben had heard Lee's voice, he looked down at him briefly, before looking at the table top, he felt out of place, right now, not knowing anyone was really bugging him, he liked them though, they all seemed quite nice, except that hillbilly dad or whatever; he only knew some of their names, like; Lee, Clementine, Carley, Doug and Gus.

Ben really wanted to talk to someone, get to know them better, but feeling out of place did nothing to boost his confidence, "Do you like what I drew?" a little girl's voice spoke out in a soft and innocent tone, "Huh?" Ben retorted, turning his head slightly to the right, Clementine was holding her drawing out in his direction, Ben's voice creaked, making a quiet "eerrrr" sound, he was trying to figure out how to respond.

Ben never really talked to younger kids; except his sister, of course, but this was a little girl he didn't know, he was scared of doing something wrong and upsetting her, which could result in him being thrown out of the RV, maybe it was the fear of being alone, that made him speak "Oh uh yeah, um it's uh really um nice" or maybe it was the fact that he was an idiot, cause that's how he felt after fumbling his words, the way he did.

Clementine didn't seem to mind though; she simply smiled and showed her gratitude by saying "Thanks" Ben didn't respond, but found himself smiling at the little girl, she really did remind him of his sister, through his head, his voice told him 'Come on, talk to someone, it's not that hard', but despite the guidance; he chose to simply ponder everything that's happened of late.

Clementine hadn't actually finished drawing however, she wanted to add more colours into the background, she started drawing a rainbow, above her unicorn; though limited to blue, yellow, white, black, green and pink, as she was wondering about Lee, worried really; there was a lot of things that the group depended on him for, that scared her; she didn't like Lee going on Supply runs, or Hunting, she really would've like to have gone with Lee at least once, but she knew he would only say 'no' to keep her safe, she just wished he didn't have so much weight on his shoulders.

Lee had carefully tied the plastic bag up, and had gently placed the bag of batteries, back into Gus's back pack, closing the flap, he then turned around until he was looking down at Carley, she was already waiting for Lee to hand her the batteries, aware that he had them, she had been keeping a close watch on him, not because he was a convicted felon, but just to further develop an opinion of him, and lately she questioned herself; wondering whether Lee really could have done what he was accused of doing; murdering a man, or anyone for that matter.

Carley was equally as eager to get the Radio working, she would kill a Walker with her bare hands, for a warn shower, Lee thought the same thing at one point, but for a bottle of Bourbon, or maybe a nice hot cup of Coffee, though killing Walkers wasn't exactly at the top of his main priorities, Lee smiled as he placed the two Batteries into the palm of her hand "Here are the two batteries we need" he spoke with a look of excitement in his eyes, though Lee always seemed focused on the task at hand, Carley knew Lee was eager, as was she "Thanks, Should be able to get it to work now" she stated in a friendly manner, with a gratified smile thrown in for good measure.

Carley was about to start working, by inserting the batteries, not much of a hard task right? But before she did, she eyed Lee, trying to be discreet, Lee was sceptical by this look he was receiving, Carley was giving him a sort of; concerned but serious expression, Lee half opened his mouth to speak, but Carley was one step ahead of him, she shook her head on an angle; directing at Clementine, her expression then became a serious one, Lee beared a look of scepticism, but upon realising what she was getting at, he realised something may be wrong with Clem, perhaps.

As shown on numerous accounts, Lee would always put Clementine above anything, without dismissing the needs of the entire group, if Carley believed there may be something wrong with Clementine, then he was about to do whatever he could to keep her spirits high, though Carley actually didn't know whether there actually was; anything wrong with her, she just figured Lee should check on her anyway, Lee however was going to check on her anyway, the two haven't had a chance to discuss the events of the Motor Inn, it was a scary situation, he worried how that would affect a little girl.

Lee closed his mouth, realising now; what Carley was trying to say, he gave her a nod of understanding, Carley was pleased by his commitment to Clementine, he really was trying to be a good caretaker, and no one could deny that.

Carley allowed Lee, to squeeze on past her, in order to sit beside Clem, he scooted closer to the little girl, until he was right beside her, Clementine temporarily stopped drawing, looking at Lee, the two smiled back at one another, the bond between these two, even from the silent observing eye of the nervous Ben, Lee cared deeply for this little girl, he sneaked a quick peek at Clementine's drawing of a Unicorn 'Pretty good' he told himself.

Clementine was grinning at Lee for some reason, he wasn't quite so sure about what though, but he just smiled back, but his expression softened, remembering why he was there "How are doing, Sweet Pea?" he spoke in a soft but sweet tone, Clementine liked that 'Sweat Pea', the name echoed over, she liked it a lot, her parents would call her 'Cupcake, Sweetie, Clementine-baby or Clemmy', she really missed her parents, but she trusted Lee; about her parents finding her, though she had her doubts; at times.

"I'm okay, what do you think of my drawing?" Clementine responded gleefully, as she held up her picture to Lee, hoping he likes it, Lee may have sneaked a peek seconds ago, but that didn't stop him from liking it any less, as he examined it further, there were yellow birds flying over the rainbow, though the rainbow wasn't quite complete, there were a mixture of blue, white and yellow flowers among the grass, Lee was impressed; Clementine hasn't lost that mannerism that makes children lovable, which was a good thing, he didn't want the apocalypse to change her, that was his worst fear.

Lee thought her drawings were like an inspiration of hope, that's why he liked it "It's really nice Clem" he praised her artistic skills, for an eight year old, it was good, Clementine half blushed, glad to hear Lee likes her drawing "Thanks Lee" the little girl responded through a gratified tone of voice, her eyes brightened with joy upon a good idea she had "I'll do one for you".

Lee never tired of Clementine's sweet, kind-hearted nature, she always knew how to turn a bleak situation into a hopeful one, Clem was gifted, that's for sure, "I'd like that" Lee remarked in his usual calm soft voice, while resting his hand on her back, offering her comfort in a simple gesture like this; was enough to keep that bright hopeful look in her eyes.

A few seconds later, Lee removed his resting hand from Clementine's back, she then happily resumed staring at her own drawing, hoping to do more, to make it as pretty as possible.

Lee stole a quick glimpse of Carley, she was just opening the back of the radio, to insert the batteries, he was awfully keen to hear some news about anything, preferably good news, though despite his eagerness; he remembered why he was sitting beside Clem; he was meant to be checking on how she was feeling about everything, how was she holding up? Considering what happened yesterday.

"So uh what do you think about all this Clem? Leaving the Motor Inn?" Lee asked half-heartedly; knowing the answer wouldn't be a good one, his eyes half open, looking at Clem with a look of concern and slight sadness, as expected, she lowered her head, placing her hand atop the other, her eyes temporarily sloping "It's not good" she responded, worried; clearly evident in her soft tone, Lee agreed with Clementine "No it isn't" he didn't like telling the truth, if it could potentially upset her, but keeping the status of her parents to himself; that was worse.

The Motor Inn was their home, they were all homeless when it all started, Lee wondered; how did such a great bunch of people like; Kenny, Carley, Doug, Gus, Katjaa, Duck and Clementine, do it? Survival-wise, how was it possible for all these people, to cross paths, banding together to survive; 'The End of the World' as floating bits of newspaper have stated, the whole 2012 thing, was far more likely to happen, though it didn't, than anything like this, who could've predicted something like this to happen? Nobody could've, it seemed.

Clementine wasn't the biggest fan of the Motor Inn, but they were safe for a while, it was safe enough to call home, until her parents found her, but being on the road was far scarier; not knowing where they were going "It's kinda scary; it felt like I had two homes", hearing Clem say the Motor Inn was like a home, instantly clicked, he agreed; Macon was his home town, therefore the Motor Inn was the closest thing, he's had to a home, since before the murder he committed "Yeah it did" Lee responded, half smiling, clearly worried; by the look in his eyes it seemed that way.

Clementine could sense there was a bit of doubt in Lee's heart, she rarely, if ever saw him with even the slightest of doubt about anything, he always had a positive outlook on anything, or he could at least think of one, for any circumstance.

Clem didn't want Lee to be sad, or doubtful; she needed Lee to give her strength, to give her hope, to give her protection, if not for Lee; she may have ran out of food, she may not be alive right now; if Lee hadn't come into her life when he did, and for that; Clementine wanted Lee to be happy, Lee had done so much for him, giving Lee some hope; to hold onto; was the least she could do, her face suddenly brightened, a sweet smile formed on her face, her eyes beamed up at Lee, her eyes embodying hope; hope that Lee needed, as she stated through her soft and silky tone "But I think everything's going to be okay, you'll keep us safe".

Lee was about to give Clementine a smile, when she suddenly gave him a look of uncertainty, sceptical about the statement she just made "Won't you?" she asked, though she had no doubt in her mind that Lee would do everything in his power to keep everyone safe, she felt she needed to hear it.

Clem was worried Lee might think she was doubting him, she was starting to regret the question, even more so now; Lee's smile slowly descended into an uncertain frown, and lowering his head, whilst averting his eyes from her, Clementine thought he was saddened by her doubting him, she instantly bit her lip in regret wondering what to do, however Lee wasn't sad at all, he was thinking back to the State Senator; wondering how could he promise to protect anyone, when he himself is a convicted murderer.

Lee then realised; he was given a second chance; a second chance to start over, knowing deep down; that he wasn't a bad guy, he cared about these people, they were like his family now, he wasn't about to lose the second family he had made, since all this began, knowing that he could never take back what did; he was going to do all he could to keep every one of his new family; safe, especially Clementine.

Lee then lifted his head back up, staring at the sweet little girl beside him, he was her caretaker, he thought to himself, and seeing the worried expression on Clem's face, seemed to bring out the nurturing side of his personality, he looked at Clem; forming a serious glimmer in his eyes, as he responded in his soft tone of voice "Of course, I won't let anything happen to any one of us, that includes you too Clementine" as he continued reassuring Clem, a smile slowly formed itself, Clem began to understand "I won't let anything happen to you, you know that, right?".

The promising look in Lee's expression, was enough to relinquish any doubt that Clementine had, the proof was all there; he saved her from starving in her tree house, he saved her in the Alley, he was supportive of Gus, when they found out about his dead friend, he saved Katjaa from that monster that attacked her, he saved Gus from getting bitten, he was a good guy; a bright smile submerged on her small sweet face, and she softly replied "Yeah I do".

Lee and Clementine smiled at one another, they were inseparable, they both needed each other to survive, and they knew this.

Suddenly the sound of water whirling around in a white bowl caught the groups attention, Gus then emerged from the toilet, Doug closed the cupboard door; allowing Gus to get passed, the eyes of Carley, Ben and Lee were set on him for a brief few seconds, Gus smiled as he came closer to the table, he felt very uncomfortable with their eyes on him, and hiding his emotional state from them also.

Gus stretched his arms, crossing them behind his head, as he looked at Lee and asked "Find those batteries?" Lee shook his head in confirmation, "Sure did, Carley has a handle on the radio", Gus looked at Carley, but she wasn't doing anything, just sitting there "Hardly" she responded in a half spoken tone of voice, hinting her irritation, Lee gave her a look of scepticism "It's still not working?".

Carley shrugged her shoulders, giving him a sideways nod and a rather perplexed stare "No I can't figure it out" she stated, this concerned Lee greatly, 'What could be the problem?' he asked himself, as Ben scooted over on his side of the table; allowing Gus to sit himself down, which he did, he felt every muscle in his body give way, as he relaxed into the cushioned seat.

As Lee pondered the problem with the radio, he decided to check it out himself "Let me have a look at that thing" Carley preferred someone else to meddle with the contraption; rather than herself, she didn't have a clue, her hand gently nudged the radio in Lee's direction "Go ahead" she complied, though the others could hear the irritation in her voice, Gus thought to himself 'How hard could it be to fix a radio?'.

Once again the radio was in the palm of Lee's hands; he recalled what he had attempted the first time, the volume was at its highest setting, the AM/FM tuner; didn't matter right now, and out of familiarity; he pressed the 'POWER' button, as hard as he could; without being rough enough to wreck it "Dammit" he cursed, Clementine then pointed at Lee and declared "Swear", Lee hadn't realised he was even on the clock, Clem didn't like hearing people curse, it was wrong, her parents taught her this lesson, Lee stared at Clem with a look of realization, and apologetically replied "Oh sorry".

"He got told huh?" Gus whispered humorously into Ben's ear, Ben didn't think it was all that funny, his own sister, did the same, every time; he swore, a coin would go into a 'swear' jar, Ben rarely swears anyway, Gus lightly chuckled to himself; Lee heard his quiet laughter, and sent a glare in his direction, once Gus realised he was receiving a glare from Lee, he halted the chuckling, and pretended to clear his throat, whilst averting his eyes.

Lee ignored Gus after that, in order to focus on more important things; like the non-functioning radio in his hands, he then proceeded to turn the radio around, until he was staring at the back of it… again, he couldn't guess what the problem was, but once again he assumed it had something to do with the batteries, so he flipped the back slider back, revealing the two batteries; Carley put in… backwards? There was a small image of how to place the batteries in the right way, on the inside of the slider, and Carley had clearly made an error.

Lee was quick to jump the gun, and pulled out one of the batteries, flipped it around and placed it back into the radio, Carley was curious, was that what she did wrong? She asked herself, as she observed carefully as Lee had just finished flipping the other battery around, and finally closing the back of it, and turning the radio around, until he was looking at the front of it.

* * *

"Hey Doug" Kenny's voice called to Doug, who wasn't too keen on talking to Kenny; he wasn't exactly someone who you could have a calm conversation with, but regardless he closed the cupboard door and stood at the doorway, once Kenny saw Doug standing there through the corner of his eye, he asked "What's going on in the back?" Doug wasn't sure if he actually knew what was happening, so he decided to explain "Lee's trying to get a radio working, so we are able to learn exactly what's happening elsewhere".

Kenny's eyes instantly widened "We have a goddamn radio that works?" he blurted, with anger brimming in his eyes, Doug's mouth was ajar, he wasn't sure how to respond "Why the fuck didn't anyone tell me this?" Kenny roared ferociously, "Ken" Katjaa intervened; trying to calm her husband, Doug just stood there; flabbergasted, honestly though; Lee was meant to inform the Commercial Fisherman, of this new development, but had forgotten to mention it, Kenny would remember this.

* * *

The batteries were now properly arranged, all that was left was pushing the power button "Hopefully this works" Lee commented to the group members; surrounding the table, Gus shook his head in agreement "Yeah" he replied in a soft manner, Carley was possibly the most keen to see that grey box work "Amen to that" she responded in sarcastic tone, though not intentionally trying to be sarcastic.

Lee took a deep breath of air 'The moment of truth, I guess' he thought to himself, Ben's eyes were focused on Lee and the radio in his hands, Gus was leaning on the table with a serious case of anticipation evident in his facial expression, his bottom lip twitched nervously, Lee glanced at Carley; beside him; and she gave him a reassuring stare, then a swift nod 'Do it' it felt like that's what she was trying to say.

Lee didn't hesitate, and in the blink of an eye… pressed the 'POWER' button, the first sound that came to them was booming static, **"SSSSSHHHHHHHHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"**, and the look of confusion mixed with disappointment became instantly evident on the faces of everyone, including Lee, and even Clementine; whose eyes fell; depressingly, it diminished the hope of finding her parents, a portion of her heart sank.

"You… did it? Carley responded questionably, with a hint of sarcasm in the question, as she stared at the now 'static' box with questionable looks of seriousness in her eyes, she seemed puzzled, "Dang, nothing but static" Gus remarked, clearly disappointed with the long anticipation; twelve minutes; in the end reduced to high expectations; made for poor results, **like Duke Nukem Forever** "Oh man" Ben commented, shaking his head in disbelief, he was hoping for a voice, just like everyone else.

Kenny heard the static from the front of the RV, he wasn't so disappointed, he half expected such a result as this; given the luck they've had recently, "Figures" he murmured to himself, the static echoing through his head, it was annoying to hear whilst concentrating on the road, which is what he was doing, 'No use crying over a busted cow, ya just get a new one' he thought to himself.

The radio was at the highest of volume capabilities, so everyone heard it, even Duck; who was wide eyed, but lost in confusion, Lee's eyes half closed, as the static echoed behind his disappointing thoughts, he looked to Clementine, who looked equally as let down as he did, he could tell by the saddened look in her eyes, which had more to do with something far more personal; maybe her parents, Lee stared down at Clem, showing a very sympathetic expression, as he leaned his head closer, trying to think of the right words to say, once he did, he softly stated "Clem… it's gonna-" just then Gus's voice shouted "WAIT!".

Everyone's attention and confusion was drawn to Gus; who was hovering over the top half of his body over the table, by the radio in front of him "What is it?" Lee instantly blurted out; through sheer instinct of the circumstances, Gus's expression looked somewhat deranged; wide eyed, jaw ajar with a look of disbelief, he glanced over in Lee's direction "I-I-I-I heard a voice on that thing" Gus stuttered as he revealed a piece of news no one else seemed to believe.

"Gus, I think you imagined it" Carley responded considerately and softly. Doug had closed the cupboard door, wondering what the commotion was all about, staring at the group members around the table, Gus was slightly irritated that she didn't believe him "I-I know I heard a voice, I heard two words 'ease resp' and then nothing" Lee turned to Carley, she gave him a curious stare, Lee wasn't sure what to think, he didn't hear any voice, but he didn't think Gus was just making stuff up, he was a joker; sure, but he wouldn't joke about something so serious, as this.

Ben and Clementine were eyeing between the three people, both feeling awkwardly positioned, Lee then came out and said "Let me see that thing", Gus was pleased that someone was taking him seriously, as he passed the radio to the History Professor, he added "Try messing with the tuning or whatever", that happened to be just what he was thinking.

Lee examined the radio one last time, before grasping his fingers and thumb, over the big tuning knob, he turned the knob to the left, the static became jumpy "SSHHHWWWSSSHHHWWWZZZHHHSSHHHWWWZZZZZZZZZZZZZWWWZZZZSSSHHHWWW" it sounded more sketchy than before, Lee realised this was the case "Try turning it the other way" Carley made a friendly suggestion, "That's what I thinking" Lee responded in a conclusive tone.

The arrow was pointing at 75, slowly going forward, he passed the original spot it was on; which was 100, the static started to slowly settle down, but then out of the blue, once he hit **119 (Reference to the next comic issue to be released) **"Atlant…" everyone's eyes widened at the sound of a human beings voice "What the" Lee remarked, "Was that a voice on that damn thing?" Kenny yelled out, looking equally as stunned as everyone else, as he leaned to the side while driving, and looking over his shoulder, looking past Doug; who was frozen in place; shocked.

Lee kept turning the tuning knob, and slowly bits of words started to meld together to form complete words, the static lessened as the knob was turned, everyone was listening intensively, Carley was staring with full concentration, she hadn't blinked in a solid minute; Lee had noticed, Ben leaned forward with his crossed arms resting on the table, looking rather nervous for some odd reason, Gus was by far the most hooked on every word that he managed to hear through the static, his jaw was completely ajar.

Clementine found herself resting up against Lee, as he tinkered with the radio, laying her head on his side, eyeing the radio, Lee was tampering with; with sheer concern written on her face, was she scared? But then the words became clear, the second the arrow on the tuning gage hit **126 (The final issue planned for Volume 21" All Out War – Part Two by Robert Kirkman) **a voice began to speak.

**"Broadcasting on Emergency Channel, Police will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85, anybody read? Please respond, Police will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85, if anybody is out there, please respond…"**

The sound of a living breathing person… a cop; alive, there were people alive out there, looking for survivors, to rescue? Lee was now standing up, holding the radio in disbelief, he lightly shook his head sideways, he couldn't believe it, people were alive, and he couldn't come to grips with this astounding piece of news.

The expression on everyone's faces was the same; wide eyed, their jaws ajar, simply stunned; Carley… Clementine… Gus… Ben… Doug… Duck… Katjaa… and especially Kenny, no one expected there to be someone alive, looking to rescue people, was this real? Everyone questioned the reality of this miracle, or would they be digging deeper into the Rabbit Hole.

**"SSSSSHHHHHZZZZZ- Hello? Please respond - SSSHHHHHHHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZSSHHHZZZZZZ"**

The voice was gone, engulfed by static, Katjaa turns to look at her husband, his jaw dropped as low as it could, his eyes as wide as ping pong balls, the grip he had on the steering wheel became tighter, he turned his head forward facing the road, the ongoing road.

The final shot was a direct close up of Kenny; wide eyed, jaw ajar, with a look of disbelief, "What the fuck?" he mumbled aloud, his face taking up the right half of the shot, on the left; Doug was looking forward; stunned, Carley staring at the top of the table; wide eyes, as she bit her lip, Clementine was standing up beside Lee, holding onto him for dear life; scared and concerned, Lee just stands there; staring at the grey box; the radio in his hands, completely astounded; mouth dropped and eyes as wide as they could be, he tightened his grip on the radio, and murmured to himself, and the group "We're gonna get through this… We will".

* * *

**Lee Everett: On the Next episode of AMC; The Walking Dead**

**"Where are we going?" Clementine asked "Atlanta" Lee responds "Do you think I'll find my parents there?" Clementine asked, Lee becomes silent, lowering his head**

**As Kenny drives past two survivors, Lee comments "We should've helped them"**

**Kenny disagrees "They could've been murderers, we can't afford that shit, I ain't having murderers around my family"**

**Lee averts his eyes, staring at the ground, reminded of the fact that he is a convicted murderer, Carley's hand gently rested on Lee's shoulder; reassuringly **

**As they drive toward Atlanta, down a completely desolate road, Gus comments "Haven't been here, since I was a kid"**

**Kenny shouts "Shit! Fuck! Hold on everybody!" as he loses control of the RV**

**Lee wrestles with a Walker; a gunshot pierces through the monsters brain**

**Atop a Tank stood a man; wearing police uniform, Sheriff Hat; holding a Colt Python**

**The group follows the Police Officer, Gus takes the rear, firing his shotgun, keeping Walkers at bay, Carley is running and gunning at Walkers in their path, Lee is holding Clementine's hand as they ran**

**An Asian kid is climbing a ladder to the rooftops, and shouting "Come on"**

**"Lee; grab a hold of my hand" Gus shouts, Lee's foot grabbed by a Walker as he tries to climb the ladder, hanging over a mess of Walkers**

**"Relax there's no need for this" Lee declares, as a big black guy, and a blond girl aim their guns at them, Carley and Kenny follow; aiming their guns also**

**"Lee, you have to do something… we don't need any more blood to be spilt" Gus begs, the two groups staring each other down, the Police officer backed up against stacked cardboard, with a gun to his head**

**"Every geek from miles around, heard you folks poppin off rounds" The big black man declares, pointing at the doors; swarmed by Walkers "You just rang the dinner bell" the blond girl adds**

**"You oughta be more polite to a man holding a gun, only common sense" An older man, wearing a sleeveless vest, holding a rifle remarks with a smile**

**"Noooo!" Clementine cries, the man known as Merle chuckles hysterically from the ground**

**Lee looks furious "I'll kill you asshole!" as he wrestles with Merle**

**Merle is hand cupped, the cop kneels beside him "All I am anymore, is a man looking for his wife and son"**

**"I'm Lee, and this here is Clementine" Lee introduces "Names Rick; Rick Grimes" the cop responds **

**"Man I miss robots" Doug comments, "You're a strange guy Doug" Lee responds with a smile**

**Rick, Glenn and Gus are being covered in Walker Guts**

**"Let's get the hell outta here" Kenny shouts, as a pickup truck drives toward their location**

**"You can't leave me here, man, it's not human" Merle begs as the black guy looks conflicted between him and the door**

**"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

**A car alarm booms, as the stolen car travels away from Atlanta**

* * *

**BOOM! yeah I hope you guys are excited for the next episode, "Two Birds, One Stone", but sadly you'll have to wait until after the New year, sorry I just need a break, my writing skills are getting bad, and I'm getting lazier from constantly writing, but don't worry; I'll never abandon the Walking Dead, and if I can; I may bring you guys the first chapter of episode 3; before Christmas, but if I don't; it'll be during the first week in January. Also what did you guys think of the distraught Gus scene? are you worried about him? What do you think Kenny wants to talk to Lee about? also good news I have created my own intro theme for the next episode, like what the TV show does, but now is the time to farewell all my reviewers, wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to CREATOR OF AWESOMENESS, super mario 675, The Basedgod, jankmaster 98, jamin 1227 and of course a big Merry Xmas to Guest 1; who has stuck by me since the beginning, and thank you everyone who has followed or favourite my story, and don't forget to check out Guest 1's story's, he has some really good stories, and great ideas, so check them out, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Adios my friends, Adios with a HO HO HO. **


	13. Chapter 13 Two Birds, One Stone (Part 1)

**WHOA it's been almost a month since I've sent a chapter but JLOGO is back, first off: I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, so much has happened; but first I'd like to apologise for the long delay; for Xmas I got this game: PERSONA 4 GOLDEN on the PS VITA, I was hooked for an entire week: but that's no excuse for the delay **

**Let's address the New Reviewers: BLACK-OP1: thank you for the kind words and the advice: I do go full on detailed don't I? but it's just to give a clear picture of the scene, but I'll try to reduce it down a little, Great story: thanks for the 10/10's I really appreciate it, Sydney: I'm really happy to hear you like my story; but I wouldn't say its the best story ever, and my writing isn't perfect but nevertheless thank you very much, Purplepox: yeah the 'My hero' quote was a bit cheesy but Lee will step in eventually.**

**Finally: Guest 1: thank you for your continued support, I've read all of your season 4 chapters and its fantastic: I'll leave a review for each one in the coming days: I've just been rushing to get this chapter out, so I apologise, and I appreciate your concern about my absence: but I'm here to stay, and thank you for the birthday wishes, I don't feel older just more determined, there is a special shout out to you: an easter egg: if you will; based on a suggestion you made a while back, I hope you like it, and I've briefly read season 1 of your story; it's looking good but I've gotta read it again, anyway thanks for everything and enjoy Part 1 of episode 3.**

**WARNING: there is a scene that some readers may find innapropriate regarding what Ben has seen and been through: the scene was originally meant to be included in the game itself, but for obvious reasons it wasn't, I hope it doesn't turn anyone off: which is why I chose to be brief about the scene, so just a heads up okay? hope you guys like this chapter **

* * *

**Lee Everett: Previously on AMC the Walking Dead**

**Carley confesses to Lee "I know who you are" he looks nervous**

**"What if my parents come home and I'm not there? I've got my Walkie-Talkie in case they try that way" Clementine explains to Lee**

**"Stay close to me until then" Lee says with a smile**

**"They were really great people… just like you, Lee" Gus says sympathetically after handing over the photo of Lee's family**

**"He was bitten, and you didn't say a goddamn word!" Kenny roars at the new guy; Ben**

**"It's not the bite that does it!" Ben confesses the truth behind the infection "You come back no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's just what happens. It's gonna happen to ALL of us" everyone looks shocked**

**"The coast does sound like the smartest option" Lee expresses his opinion to Kenny**

** "WALKERS!" Gus shouts**

**"We have to go, now!" Lee confesses the hard truth to Gus**

**"I heard reports of the CDC working to control whatever the hell this is, trying to find a cure" Carley explains to the group of a safe place to go**

**"Right, the Centre for Disease Control, their probably sitting on their asses, with the doors sealed shut" Kenny expressed his uncertainty in the form of a snide remark**

**"We need to know just what the hell is happening, why have the dead come back to life?" Gus angrily states, trying to convince Kenny that the CDC is a safe bet**

**"Why are you doing this?" Lee angrily whispers to the hallucination of his wife; who was drenched in blood**

**Carley kisses Doug on the lips; passionately, once she parts from the kiss, she says "If we're gonna make this work, you're gonna have to try harder… Dougie"**

**Gus has tears streaming down his face, quietly sobbing as he held the photo of his lost family**

**"I ain't forgetting what we agreed; if this hellhole's a dead end, we hop on the next boat outta here" Kenny reminds and declares assertively to Lee **

**"You've been good to me and my family, you saved Duck from those monsters and you supported me when I had to work myself out over what happened to Shawn, I won't forget that" Kenny says with a friendly smile**

**"I'm Sorry this happened to you" Rick Grimes says to a female Walker before blowing its brains out**

**"I was doing a little digging around earlier, and I found this in one of the cupboards" he presented an old grey 'ICON' brand Radio "Let me have a look at that thing" Lee inquired "Go ahead" Carley said without a fuss**

**"I think everything's going to be okay, you'll keep us safe" Clementine happily explained, Lee was grateful for Clem's kind words**

**Voice on the Radio "Broadcasting on Emergency Channel, Police will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85, anybody read?" Kenny is stunned "What the Fuck?"**

* * *

**Episode 3: Two Birds, One Stone**

Down a very long stretch of road, on the left was a bunch of abandoned cars, a wreck more like it, dozens of those four wheeled machines, feels like forever since a car was used for simple things; picking up kids from school, going to the grocery store or a party, simple things that ordinary people would use cars for. Four weeks now, four weeks since the world changed, so many have died, some might even believe there was no one left, there was hardly any proof to the contrary, the world was now a wasteland, ravage flesh eating monsters rotting the fresh air that once was, at least Global warming wasn't contagious or a serious case of life or death possibilities.

On the road; the right side; was a single vehicle in motion; an RV; just past a barrage of wrecked cars, a bus also; a prison bus with the emergency door on the back wide open; Prisoners on the Loose? That was the least of any human beings concerns, given everything else that's been happening; the fortress of a vehicle passed a truck stop of sorts 'Gil's Pitstop '.

It was a quiet environment though, but not quite so silent as it was in the rolling fortress; that was the RV; minutes ago inside the RV was a debate; whether or not to follow the voice on a Radio, and head for Atlanta; where they might be rescued, though a portion of these Survivors believed it was a golden opportunity to live like they once did, but the other portion believed it was a trap; set by desperate assholes; too far gone to accept other alternatives.

The driver of the RV; Kenny; a Commercial Fisherman, Devoted Father and Loving Husband; held a firm tight grip on the wheel, there was a concerned expression etched on his face, 'Gil's Pitstop' he remembered the painful memory of almost losing his son; during the first encounter with those things, he was never going back there.

As Kenny drove forward, he rammed into a crappy roadblock, weak as shit ones, hitting the one on the left, a look of concern, quickly turned to a look of scorn; flowing through every detail on his face; sneering, eyebrows edged angrily; he didn't dare look back; knowing Lee was standing in the doorway; as he was; Lee; the group's leader, stood there; a hand holding onto both walls; in order to keep his balance, he stared into space; wondering what other choice did they have?

At the back of the RV; was Clementine and Duck drawing on the left side of the table, and on the right was a lone Ben, who had has arms crossed, staring down at his feet, a look of concern; concerns that weighed heavily on his thoughts; regarding his missing friend and the argument that surfaced between the group members regarding their course of action, regarding that voice on the radio; he believed they should find the guy, if he was still alive now, he added.

Gus was resting against the cupboard, sitting on the couch by the RV's entrance, where Duck was previously resting whilst drawing; though the boy felt like switching spots, so that he could continue his Batman drawings on a more solid surface. Gus beared a very disgruntled expression; annoyed, but conflicted, he rested his elbow on the back of the couch, with his rolled up fist resting against his cheek, he had his reasons to be irritated about the decision that was made.

Doug and Carley were beside one another, they both were thinking through the debate; some wanted to head to Highway 85 in Atlanta, and find the Police Officer who sent the message, so that they could be rescued, but some wanted to avoid Atlanta and keep on their set destination for the CDC. Doug had his arms crossed; keeping his hands warm under his arms, Carley was staring at Doug through the corner of her eyes, simply admiring his traits, and his 'Parent's basement' cute features, a smile found its way to her red lips, before suddenly guiding her hand until it gently rested on Doug's lap (Not Sexually), Doug's eyes were instantly drawn to the hand resting close to his private area, then looking at the beautiful face of Carley; her eyes glimmered seductively, and her mesmerising beauty was far too alluring for Doug to avert staring at.

A gentle touch from Carley; was all it took to make Doug blush like one of Pac man's cherries, he found himself frozen in place; staring into Carley's mango coloured eyes, a light grin formed on the corner of Doug's mouth, his cheeks became a brighter colour of red, every second, Carley's smile only grew, and to take the teasing one step further, she moved her hand up to his face, and gently laid the back of her hand on his cheek, and dragged her fingers against his cheek in a slow and sensual manner, he was powerless to do anything, not that he wanted her to stop.

Katjaa hadn't spoken a word since the group's debate, Kenny was aggravated with Lee due to the fact that Katjaa sided with Lee, Kenny was far too concentrated on the road to pay his wife any mind, Lee was enforcing the decision made by the majority of the group, honestly; what Lee wanted; wasn't important, it's what the group wanted, that mattered, whatever was best for the entire group… and Clementine, that was all that mattered, not his own desires.

As Kenny drove along the road, ever so silently, as was the rest of the group members for that matter, but something ahead caught Kenny's attention, something small; distance-wise it was; Kenny leaned forward, hunching himself closer to the wheel, squinting his eyes failed to make a difference, but the closer he got; the better the view he got, until he could faintly make out what it was; a sign; held up by two metal poles, he couldn't quite tell what the sign reads yet, they weren't close enough.

A few meters ahead, seemed to make all the difference; it was a green sign, 'Atlanta, 30 miles', '30 miles? That's bout 20 minutes or so, not that it matters if we're-' his train of thought came to halt, something else caught his eyes, Lee had been observing Kenny eyeing something in the distance, he grew curious of the Fisherman, Lee mirrored Kenny's pose; leaning forward, squinting his eyes similarly to the Fisherman beside him.

Kenny could only guess; but based on what little he could see, but underneath the sign were the outlines of one… two… two people… 'People?' Kenny's eyes widened at the sight; two people were standing underneath the sign, Lee was as much stunned as Kenny, his jaw fell ajar, his eyes widened, and one of the figures must have noticed them coming, because in that moment the taller one, began waving both hands to get their attention.

As they were getting closer Lee was able to just make out the faces and clothing of the two strangers; the one waving looked Hispanic in his mid-40's possibly; medium amount of brown hair, Lee could see light traces of a beard the man once had, that might have looked much like his own, but only around his mouth, he was wearing blue jeans, a white undershirt and a medium brown coloured jacket **(Danny)**.

The other guywas shorter, he appeared to be Asian, possibly in his mid-30's; with a good amount of brown hair, including facial hair; light beard that stretched across his chin, a small goatee and a thin moustache stretching to the side of the man's lip, he was also wearing jeans; though darker, he also wore a medium coloured blue shirt; underneath a dark chocolate coloured jacket **(Vince)**. 

Lee was unaware that Carley was behind Lee; upon seeing both him and Kenny looking rather tranced over something, she had got up from her spot beside Doug; who had just lightly closed his eyes; tired after waking up late last night from the nightmare he had, that and staying with Carley on watch all night; might contribute to the added factor of the 'need sleep' department.

Anyway Carley caught a glimpse of the two survivors underneath the 'Atlanta' sign, she was relieved to see that there were in fact people; still alive; surviving day-to-day it seemed, however she was most keen on keeping a close eye on the pair of friends; Lee and Kenny; especially Lee, she was curious to know what Lee wanted to do; regarding these two survivors, how would he respond to this position.

Kenny seemed half conflicted, but sadly it was only brief, before forming a stone cold look in his eyes; he knew exactly what he was going to do, he pressed his foot down on the accelerator with a bit more force to speed up a bit more, Lee was quick to catch onto what he was doing, Lee was far more conflicted, he didn't want to leave these people stranded on the side of the road like that; it wasn't right, but he got this feeling that his opinion to Kenny would mean less then squat, though he knew he had to say or do something.

The Hispanic survivor **(Danny)** noticed the RV's slight increase in speed, he waved harder and even started veering to his right; legging to the road; hoping to flag them down, "Ken" Lee called, Kenny knew what Lee was asking of him, but his serious, yet angered expression remained the same, with his decision made up in his head; he wasn't stopping; in fact his foot pressed down harder upon the accelerator.

The Hispanic man was running at half; if not less; speed of that of the RV, the man was that desperate it seemed, that he shouted "Yo Man, Stop!", Lee was becoming agitated with Kenny's stubborn nature, he glared at Kenny; angrily frowning at the man "Kenny!" he voice drenched with assertion; which only fuelled Kenny's desire to ignore the man, Gus had come to the doorway; beside Carley; to see what was the commotion all about, upon seeing the survivor trying to flag them down; he had a similar reaction that Lee had; stunned but confused; was Kenny just going to ignore the man on the side of the road? His stomach became topsy-turvy; a flame of anger was formed.

"Yo Man, please! Help us out, Stop!" the man begged "KENNY!" Lee shouted, but it was too little, too late, Kenny's mind was set, and had already past the two stranded survivors, Lee was filled with rage of the situation, wondering what Kenny's deal was; because he was being quite the asshole.

Carley and Gus found themselves looking at one another; examining each other's reaction; Gus was mostly in disbelief; abandoning someone like that; the emotion he felt was guilt, though he had no say in the matter; he felt general guilt of the situation; Gus was thinking back to the day Lee and Kenny arrived in Macon; what Kenny just did; was exactly the intention he had for them; he was seconds away from letting Duck die, he had almost allowed it, but Gus couldn't bring himself to allow such a thing to happen; in a way; the death of his friend felt strangely necessary in order to fulfil the chain of events that have occurred; he hated himself for thinking like that; Tom was his best friend, and not a moment goes by when he doesn't miss his friend… or family.

Carley was mostly shocked, but given the debate that went down fifteen minutes ago, which was mostly a back and forth round between herself, Gus, Kenny and Lee, but Christ, she thought, leaving people to die like that? God help Kenny, not really, at this point she began to despise the man; he was like an ignorant child; one who did not get his way; would result in harsh methods of payback, but even the look of distaste on Katjaa's face indicated how extreme her husband was taking things, Carley shook her head in disgust of Kenny's actions.

Lee glared at the back of Kenny's head; irritated by Kenny's selfishness, Lee was now standing tall; no longer leaning forward, Lee put on a stern expression; frowning and glaring at the driver "What was that?" Lee spoke outright, a strong case of rage clearly evident in his tone, but Kenny only turned his head slightly, getting a quick glance at the 'Professor', seeing Lee pissed at him was exactly what he expected to happen, he didn't care what Lee or anyone thought of his actions; so long as they were kept safe; something Kenny didn't think Lee grasp the concept of.

Kenny's long drawn out hesitation; only served to irritate Lee even further, Kenny then came out with it and explained in a firm but stubborn tone "I didn't like the looks of them, they've could've been murderers or whatever".

The word 'Murderer' seemed to hit Lee right at home; a quick flash of the State Senator's corpse beside a white sheeted bed; drenched in blood; burned in his head; momentarily forfeiting from the conversation with his 'pal'; forming a disgruntled expression, nervously gritting his teeth; due to the convenience of Kenny's use of the word 'Murderer' wondering how would Kenny react; if he only knew the truth.

Carley and Gus noticed the pause in conversation; Gus was sceptical as to why Lee had not retaliated; why had the man suddenly gone silent? He didn't understand, Carley had a pretty good idea why; he shut down the moment Kenny said 'Murderers', Lee was obviously fighting back those demons in his head, she was becoming concerned for the man; Lee had shown time and time again that he wasn't a bad man; he clearly had flaws though, there was no denying that; but the Lee Everett she read about in the papers was a different man, from the one who was here right now; arguing with a man, who decided to leave two men stranded; to die, Carley was pleased to see that Lee hadn't lost his humanity; if anything; he had the most humanity of anyone in the group, besides the sweet little Clementine.

Kenny noticed the man's hesitation; he looked over his shoulder to see Lee; staring into space it seemed; but Lee felt the eyes of Kenny scowling him; which seemed to bring him back to reality, and once seeing Kenny's scowl; which was completely targeted at him, Lee shook his head sideways in disapproval; and declared directly "You don't know that, we could've helped them", he spoke with a stern frown on his face.

Kenny didn't hesitate to respond in a rather harsh manner "We could've, but we didn't, we don't got time for that shit, we gotta get to Atlanta… remember?" on the last word; rage burned in his eyes, snarling at Lee, who glared back at him; equally as enraged, Carley was starting to think this was getting out of hand, heck; even Gus looked quite nervous being this close to the eye of storm; it was like seeing a cougar and a Lion stare-off before making the first pounce, and Gus didn't want to stick around when that happens.

After a solid minute of staring the other one down, Kenny became all the more irritated regarding the matter, thinking that Lee was out to protect his own ass; though deep down he knew that wasn't true, the Commercial Fisherman put on a stern expression, Kenny was beginning to question the 'Chain of Command' that was Lee, so after quickly composing himself, Kenny retaliated through his assertive tone "You might not know this Lee, but one of us is putting into account that these days; a group of survivors equals a shitload of food and supplies; which make us a target for the more desperate of assholes; and they looked like pretty desperate asswipes to me" Kenny threw his hand out, pointing back to where those two guys were left at, before continuing his rant "So please forgive me if I'm not bending over backwards on the idea of having two potential murderers around my family!".

Lee lowered his head, with a light snarl; he said that word again, though it was a harder blow this time; considering that it was already a thing; his family was already in that position now, though Lee knew he would never ever dare hurt Katjaa or Duck, but regardless he felt like he was a ticking time bomb that would inevitably blow shit up; he didn't want to kill anyone, but he got the feeling that he would at some point; which scared the hell out of him.

Lee then felt the gentle touch of a hand on his shoulder; he slowly turned to see it was Carley; she looked deeply concerned; her eyes heavily gauged through to his soul, she was worried about Lee; he may be a convicted murderer; but he was also the driving force behind their group, she would go as far as say they couldn't have gotten this far without him being the glue that bonded them together. The look on Carley's face; said it all; it was a sympathetic expression, but a reassuring one, she had shown that she trust him; despite his past; Lee gave Carley a sincere nod, Gus just stood there feeling out of place; awkward even; wondering why Carley had a hand on his shoulder; as if she was lending him support or something.

Seconds later, Carley removed her hand from Lee's shoulder; but stood at the ready encase Lee needed her support, Lee turned back to face forward and deal with the problem at hand; Kenny, the look of aggression quickly plagued Lee's face; remembering where the conversation was last at, and was ready to express his distaste of Kenny's action "Leaving someone on the side of the road like that, IS the same as murder, Damn it!".

Katjaa was staring with disappointment in her normally kind eyes; at her husband; she wasn't impressed with his decision either, she had some words to say but now was not the time; Lee might be overdoing it a little; convincing Kenny that it was the wrong call, but she knew if anyone could break into his stubborn head; it had to be Lee, so she remained silent in the passenger's seat, waiting for her moment to say something to Kenny; he would listen to her, if the situation called for it.

"Whatever man" Kenny simply responded in a bland tone of voice, shrugging his shoulders like he couldn't give a rat's ass, which he really couldn't, what's done is done; he believed, Lee was starting to get impatient with the man, but curious to know how he felt about the newly developed Atlanta idea of theirs, and wondered whether abandoning those two back there had anything to do with their current destination, crossing his arms and forming a stern look, glaring at Kenny; as if already knowing the answer to his next question "And is that how you feel about that voice on radio?".

Kenny immediately grit his teeth together, forming a snarl, hoping to get his 'facts' into Lee's head "Fuck yeah" he remarked in a cocky manner, then further addressing his concerns "Obviously it's some sorta trap, that asshole might be messin with us, some persistent fuck; itching to play hook, line and stinker with us" Lee didn't deny that was a possibility; but it just wouldn't add up, given the position of the man on the radio "We oughta turn off at the next left, avoid that highway, catch the fucker off guard, or avoid em altogether, or have ya forgotten about the CDC?" he ended with a venomous hiss at the last word, and giving Lee an icy cold glare, one that Lee didn't much care for.

Gus was starting to get a bad feeling about how this conversation would turn out, Carley was getting closer to the edge, she was about ready to say something "I haven't" Lee spoke firmly, with anger slurring his words, Kenny gave him a wise-ass nod, as if saying 'Sure whatever you say, man' in fact Lee wouldn't be half surprised if that was indeed what Kenny was thinking.

Gus was in a tough position here; he had expressed his thoughts during the group's debate, but he was hoping it might put a stop to the unnecessary amount of squabbling between the two alpha males of the group, Gus really didn't want to interfere; but he felt now was as good a time as any.

Gus crossed his arms in a tight fashion, he was afraid to do this, and though he and Lee had a difference of opinion on the matter, he did not condemn Lee's view's, as Kenny did, the points that Lee expressed were quite valid in fact, **but could he handle going through… no he couldn't, but this time it would not be the same**, he trusted Lee; he's a good man; there was no doubt about that, but addressing his concerns again; might get Kenny to back off a little, making Lee's position seem less stressful; although siding with Kenny probably wasn't the best example of trust that he had for Lee, but he couldn't think of a better plan than that; amongst all the fighting,

Gus came forward, ducking under Lee's arm, with quickly drew his full attention, Lee eyed the kid curiously, Gus stared at Lee briefly, but a wave of empathy stormed on Gus's face, he was briefly nervous, but it quickly passed, taking a breath of air before addressing the concerns he had "Lee, you know I don't say this lightly but Kenny might be right" Lee was flabbergasted upon hearing it the first time, now he was just curious; slightly worried even, Gus was smart, his concerns were valid, his experience in this new world, succeeded his own, therefore was intrigued to hear his point of view, though mildly cautious.

Gus was studying the look on Lee's face, he was willingly listening to what he had to say, which relieved him greatly, but he felt obligated to reassure Lee as to where his loyalty lied, in case it was in question, and a look of empathy goes a long way, he understood Lee's views, he just hoped the feeling was neutral.

Lee and Gus have a very stable friendship, Gus immensely appreciated Lee's sympathy toward him, when going through the loss of his friend, and agreeing to assist him bury his friend also, it was those actions alone that forged their friendship, Gus has shown immense loyalty to Lee since then, Lee respects Gus; and considers him a very resourceful and valuable member of the group, and a valuable friend to have, often acting as a de-facto voice of reason, like Carley, but to a lesser extent, Lee also shows to have a lot of trust in Gus, for saving their lives when they first arrived in Macon.

"Look Lee; I agree with the points you've made, they make sense and all, and I don't want you thinking I don't trust you or anything; you've been good to me, and everyone for that matter, but the guy on the radio could be one of the Bandits for all we know; like the ones that raided Ben's camp or murdered most of Macon's people, they're messed up, they would sooner string us up like piñata's; and makes us suffer, before we ever reach any golden gates in the clouds".

The look of real fear on Gus's face was quite conflicting to Lee, his eyes widened upon the inevitable realisation that what Gus was saying; could in fact be true, what if the voice on the radio was a part of a larger group of these 'Bandits'? Could he risk putting Clementine, or Duck in danger? These were questions he asked himself when he voiced his opinion on the matter with the group; believing that the guy on the radio was legit, he didn't know for certain, but it's what he believed.

Carley was taken aback by just how graphical Gus was making it seem, she was scared to think about the kind of people Gus had seen commit such horrendous acts, she didn't dismiss what Gus had to say, he had clearly gone through some bad stuff, there was a nervous look in the Reporters eyes, that was following and studying the smallest detail that showed up on Gus's expression, there was no doubt in his words, plus she remembered him briefly mentioning the bandits when he first showed them around the Motor Inn.

Gus then proceeded to spread his arms out, giving off a gesture indicating his uncertainty "I could be wrong" he expressed honestly; as he didn't want to seem as one minded as Kenny, he paused before continuing, this time appearing slightly saddened, by what he has seen; in terms of the Bandits, crossing his arms, a glimmer of depression and bad memory's formed into his eyes, and posture "But if you've seen what I've seen, you'd agree that this plan is too big a risk to take".

Lee and Carley both looked at one another, they both agreed that trying to find a stranger over the radio was a big risk, but the group voted to head for Atlanta and find this guy, Lee knew that Kenny was more concerned about his family than he was for anyone else, Gus was scared; they all were, but Gus was thinking about the safety of everyone, Lee found himself staring at Gus, but digging into his thoughts of the plan; it was dangerous, but he wanted a better life for everyone.

"Finally, someone agrees with me" Kenny came out and said, throwing his head back; exasperated, his words forced a halt in Lee's train of thought, forming his stern expression; mildly glaring at the man for being so stubborn, Carley grinded her teeth together; irritated by the man's consistent complaining, any second now and she knew what she was about to do; she was about to angrily snap at the man for being so self-centred, but at the same time; Gus felt compelled to snap also.

Gus rolled his eyes, highly annoyed by the constant bitching that came from Kenny, he lightly shook his head sideways; exasperated, but then had decided to confront the man; forming an angered frown; Gus turned to his right, facing the selfish man; who looked awfully laid back; considering what he did; leaving those men behind and all.

Gus's frown turned to intense anger; burning at the pit of his stomach, glaring at Kenny, and after a brief second of patience, Gus threw his hands in the air; exasperated; and ready to flip out, beginning with a sarcastic tone, that quickly got angrier as the sentence progressed "Yeah; I completely support leaving two guys stranded on the side of the road; where they're likely to get eaten alive by Walkers!" Kenny then snarled at Gus, but was cut off from speaking when someone else shouted "EVERYONE CHILL THE FUCK OUT!".

The outburst of profanity came from Carley, everyone in the RV, had their eyes drawn to Carley, everyone's eyes widened fearfully, including Gus; whose jaw was slightly ajar, even Kenny looked dazed by the outburst, eyes widened; shock evident in his eyes, Lee was also taken back by Carley's booming voice, he turned his head to see a disgruntled glare aiming at Kenny, no one had seen this side of Carley before; it was quite confronting; especially for Doug; whose expression was a horrified one.

Carley glared immensely at Kenny, crossing her arms as she began highlighting the situation, Kenny was in a vulnerable position, as he was forced to listen to her; reluctantly however "We've already made up our minds; Kenny take your head out of your ass for five seconds and see that Lee and the majority of us believe talking to that guy on the radio might actually wind us up in someplace safe".

Gus felt like he had shrunk or something, Carley's tone she had against Kenny, was kind of scary, but he couldn't move away, he was frozen, and was somehow in the middle of Carley's valid descriptions; that were quite loud but it seemed to be reaching the man, Gus could tell that Kenny was both irritated and uncomfortable, Gus was just uncomfortable, but glad to see someone other than himself or Lee stand up to the stubborn hothead.

Carley temporarily paused, to compose herself, figuring out what to bring out next, she noticed the stunned expression on Lee's face, but she could tell from the look in his eyes, that Lee agreed with everything she said, but seeing Gus a bit frightened of her; was not something she intended to do, in fact she felt bad for scaring the kid, but Kenny needed to hear what she had to say, and not tolerate his crap "Okay it's a long shot maybe; but the CDC, or the Coast for that matter isn't going anywhere for fuck's sake, so just get the fuck over it and help somebody for once".

No one expected any amount of anger to come from Carley; who was probably the third sweetest, and kind-hearted members of the group, Clementine being the kindest of hearts, followed by Katjaa, no one disagreed with what Carley had to say, even Katjaa believed there was some truth in the reporter's word, giving her husband a very sensitive expression with her soft eyes, Kenny hadn't noticed, as he turned his head forward; keeping his concentration on the road, out of aggravation, he averted his eyes from everyone, glaring at the light reflection of himself in the window, and mumbled "Fucking Bullshit" mainly to himself, however irritated at Carley, Gus and Lee for seemingly ganging up on him.

"Kenny" Katjaa's soft and sweet voice called to him, Kenny wasn't in the mood for a talk with his wife right now, though she had a pretty good knack for getting him to calm down, while appealing to his more sensitive side, despite his resistance to avoid eye contact with his wife, he found that he couldn't do it, he couldn't ignore his wife; no matter how hard he tried, and turned his head to face her "I think Lee and Carley are right" Katjaa was met with a stunned but disappointed expression from her husband "We need to survive; and if that man on the radio can help us, I think we should try".

Kenny's expression switched to a look of understanding; however briefly; upon returning to his stubborn nature, irritably curving his eyebrows, and returning his eyes to the road, Katjaa was familiar with this scenario, Kenny would go all quiet if he did not agree with her views, or something of similar circumstances, she didn't like it when Kenny was silent, it always made her feel that his anger was directed at her, though Kenny has never once showed aggression toward her, it was just how she felt "Ken please" she begged of her husband to see thing's from everyone's point of view, instead of just his own.

Kenny found himself looking back at his wife, receiving a very soft pleading expression; a sad puppy dog eyes sort of look, through all of Kenny's hard-ass faults, he was a very reasonable man, his duty was his family, but Katjaa was never afraid to speak her mind, but remaining the sweetest wife, Kenny could ever ask for, he sighed a breath of air, finding a decent amount of tranquillity, enough to look past what he wanted, in order to satisfy his wife.

"Fine" Kenny responded, in a half ill-tempered manner, Katjaa was glad to hear him agree, Lee appreciated his change of heart, even if he didn't completely embrace the plan, it was better than nothing "But it's all or nothing, and my money's on us getting killed" added snidely, Lee's gratitude was short lived, Gus mentally slapped himself on the forehead, he should've seen that coming, Carley folded her arms together, tight lipped, sharp glaring eyes at the man, unable to understand why anyone would try to convince such a hothead.

Kenny resumed his focus on the road, while Lee, Carley and Gus just stood at the doorway, Gus was left puzzled, and why were they still standing there? They were never going to get a better response then that from Kenny, but then again Gus still had an issue he wanted to address to Lee, and the silence became quite suffocating to him, Gus beamed his head in Lee's direction, Gus had immense trust in Lee, he wanted Lee to know that he trusted him, and had a question he needed to ask.

"Lee, I know you have everyone's best interest at heart; I mean anyone can see that" Gus started to explain, Lee was really grateful to hear such kind words, Gus spoke with complete honesty and traces of appreciation and concern (worried he would offend Lee somehow) in his tone, Lee had sometimes got the impression that no one appreciated his position in the group, but it seemed he was wrong, he lightly smiled inside, but maintained a look of concern, what was Gus getting at? He wondered.

Gus paused, briefly; trying to sum up the courage to speak his mind, but he wasn't very good at that when he was nervous "It's just…" he started, slowly lowing his head, Carley was concerned by the lowering of his head, she knew full well that when Gus became nervous; he doesn't function well under pressure, but Lee was quick to catch onto the kid's uneasy tone, and showed general concern for him, and felt he needed to support and reassure Gus for whatever his fears were.

"Yeah?" Lee stated with a sympathetic expression, Gus felt more comfortable; seeing that both Lee and Carley cared for his wellbeing and whatever he had to say "Do you really think; this guy is legit? Do you think he's out to help us?" Gus was clearly unsure of the plan, but he had everyone's safety in mind, he just wanted people to survive, Lee remembered how frantic Gus was about the guy in the bear trap, he was the first to jump in the 'Let's help' wagon, though this situation not as dire, it was a tough decision to make; that impacts the whole group, Lee didn't take the decision lightly.

By this point everyone had their attention on Lee; everyone looks to him as a leader figure, though he didn't know why, but he understood the seriousness of this role, Lee crossed his arms giving it some thought, but the longer he hesitated, the quicker Gus's hope diminishes. In fact everyone was eager to hear the honest truth, did he really believe the guy on the radio could save them? Doug had a mixed opinion, but he agreed; because of Carley; who had her doubts, but chose to remain hopeful, Ben didn't really care; his mind was elsewhere, Duck didn't know what was happening, but Clementine was really hoping that they find the man on the radio; thinking that maybe the man would know where to find her parents; if he could take them to a safe place; as Lee had stated.

"I'm not gonna lie; I'm not sure" everyone was left in silent awe, they expected Lee to have more hope than he did, Carley's eyes were focused on the African-American man; with scepticism and disbelief, but it was short lived; as Lee continued to explain "The guy on the radio was waiting for a response, he was obviously looking for people to connect up with, if he does, it might be our golden ticket to a better life".

No one denied that this plan was risky, but everyone believed it was a necessary risk to take, even Kenny believed the plan was somewhat plausible; though his gut wasn't too sure, he wanted a better life for Katjaa and Duck, Lee had been a solid friend to him since day one; he felt obligated to side with Lee; though he didn't really like it, he figured he might as well just go with it, not like there was any other option; beside the Coast or the CDC, but Carley had been right about one thing; and that was that those places weren't going anywhere, so he was in with the plan, 'In like fuckin Flynn'.

Seemingly at first glance; Gus was sceptical; but upon realising that if the guy on the radio might have a settlement of sorts or something; it was long shot, but maybe… maybe he could find Matt and Jessie; his brother and sister could still be alive, Gus slowly formed a smile; wanting his brother and sister so badly; or at least know their fate, Gus believed that Lee's decision was in fact; best for the whole group, Gus owed Lee so much for everything he's done that contributed to them still being alive, Gus lightly shook his head; smiling at Lee, before saying in a grateful and conclusive tone "If that's what you think Lee, then what else is there to say?… other than; let's find this guy".

Lee was glad to hear it, the atmosphere inside the RV was already starting to simmer down, everyone seemed content with this set plan of theirs, Lee guided his eyes to everyone in the RV; to study their faces, to determine whether they were pleased or not.

The first face he went to was Kenny; he seemed more open to the idea; he was calm, but maybe still a bit unsure and conflicted, Katjaa simply smiled, she seemed okay with the plan, Carley had a bright satisfied look; smiling and her eyes were determined, she was in, Gus had a pleased expression, and had already established he was in, Doug gave Lee a strong confident nod; he was in, Ben wasn't even looking this way anymore; he needed to check on him; he was still just a kid; and feeling too out of place wasn't how Lee wanted Ben to feel; he was one of their group now, and knew that he needed some time to adjust.

Lee received the sweetest of smiles from Clementine; in all honesty; she was Lee's beacon of hope, he swore to keep her safe, and the two needed one another, Clementine gave Lee an approving nod, the man smiled back at her, Clementine was also in, well that was everyone then; Lee then slowly turned back to the man behind the wheel, Lee was no longer irritated at Kenny; he was scared; scared for his family, everything he cherished was here with him, Lee was calm; he understood Kenny's position was a tough one.

However Lee needed his support; now more than ever, he looked to Kenny with pleading eyes, Lee didn't want Kenny agreeing to something he didn't agree with, but these people needed him, even if they never say it; they need him, just as Kenny and his family needed them.

An intense stare began between the two friends, Lee pleaded for Kenny's support, giving these people hope; that is what they needed, Kenny wanted to avert his eyes from Lee, but he couldn't, he couldn't deny what Lee had spoken about, he was also very grateful for what Lee has done for him and his family, maybe it was peer pressure, or maybe it was way of showing how much he appreciated Lee as a leader and a good friend, sighing heavily, before stating in a firm voice "If ya'll insist; then I suggest getting yourselves organised, Atlanta's dead ahead; in fifteen minutes, so sack up".

Carley, Gus or Doug for that matter didn't care much for his description/statement, as it seemed a little too vulgar for the RV, especially with Clementine and Duck around, but regardless; Carley and Gus broke off from beside Lee, to get themselves organised for the unlikeliness state of Atlanta, Lee mentioned during their first debate that Atlanta could be infested or under control; the lack of knowledge made them all take a few extra precautions; so the two went to prepare themselves for whatever situation they may get themselves into.

Lee had something else that needed doing first, as he stood in the middle of the doorway, staring at the back of Kenny's head, his eyes began to slope, staring at the back of Kenny's head; bearing a rather sympathetic expression, he averted his eyes temporarily before stating apologetically "Ken I'm… I'm sorry man"

Kenny somehow saw it coming, nevertheless he was grateful for it, and felt he needed to apologise also, considering what a prick he's been, and considering all that Lee has done for him, Kenny figured that the least he could do was say sorry "Me too pal, I get it" his wide apologetic eyes had clear evidence of regret in them; hoping Lee could forgive him also; Lee gave Kenny a firm nod, Kenny mirrored the gesture; it was a simple gesture that reaffirmed their friendship, despite a difference of opinion or two, they would remain friends; even the best of friends have their share of bumps in the road; Lee and Kenny were pals through thick and thin.

After exchanging apologies, burying the hatchet, Lee was just about to turn around and check on the others, but Kenny's voice caught him dead in his path "Don't worry bout them two back there" Lee curiously edged his eyebrows; why did he say that? Lee wondered "I'm sure someone else will come along", what Kenny said; Lee really did hope that he was correct, he feared the very thought of two stranded survivors being chewed to bits by Walkers, after hearing Kenny's thoughts, he went to check on the others.

* * *

By the door of the RV; Carley, Doug and Gus were preparing themselves; Doug was sitting on the couch, cleaning up the blood; staining the tip of his wrench; using a damp rag to clean it, until the blood was removed; which was a slight waste of time; considering that if he used it on Walkers, it would end up bloody anyway, therefore defeating the purpose of cleaning it, then again Doug was quite delicate with his tools, polishing them whenever he got an opportune moment.

Gus was just shoving shells into his Mossberg Shotgun, and pulling back on the grip/slider thing; he didn't know what it was called; he just pulled it back; to ensure a fresh shell was ready to blow off the heads of corpses, Gus was really hoping that they don't come across survivors of violent behaviour; like the bandits, not just because they were dangerous, but because he dreaded the thought of having to use his Shotgun to kill a living breathing person, it horrified him; if he was ever put in that position, he strongly believed that he wouldn't be able to pull the trigger, he just couldn't.

Carley had just finished adding a fresh clip into her pistol, ready for a bit of run and gunning; if Atlanta just happens to be populated with those flesh eating parasites called 'Walkers', she wondered how did Gus think to call them Walkers? It wasn't important, reloading her gun was, she pulled back on the slider; atop the pistol; ready to unload a wave of clips into a barrage of targets, if need be, she smiled upon seeing Doug seated on the couch, cleaning his wrench, thinking that it wasn't necessary; if he intends on whacking some heads, but she didn't stop him.

Lee stopped a step away from Carley, with a satisfied smile on his face; as they were finishing up on their preparations for heading into Atlanta, he crossed his arms, watching them work "You guys alright?" Lee asked, out of sheer curiosity, Gus was quick to respond from behind Carley, as he held his shotgun; aiming it at the roof and allowing the handle of the gun to rest against his arm, with a big grin; he replied "I'm Rootin-Tootin, and ready for shootin" posing like Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, or Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder, either way Gus looked like he was posing for a movie poster with plenty of action.

Carley smiled; it was what Gus said that caused this reaction, Doug lightly grinned as well, even Lee thought Gus's description was quite humorous, looking in his direction with a delighted smile, Carley placed a hand on her hip, pointing her gun upright and declared "Same here" Gus simply smiled back at the reporter; and placing the strap back over his back; where his shotgun would rest until they get into Atlanta and figure out the state of the place, Lee was happy to see them smiling; they had a sense of hope since the voice on the radio got their attention "Glad to hear it" he responded in a plain but friendly manner.

Lee was looking past Carley and Gus; to the back of the RV; to his little medallion of hope; Clementine; who had resumed drawing, Lee wanted to check and see how she felt about this plan, but then he noticed Ben looking somewhat depressed; resting his elbows on the table, with his hands resting on his forehead; and his eyes half open, he knew it was his responsibility to check up on the kid, considering he caused the death of his teacher.

Lee began to head over to the table, and make sure Ben is feeling alright, before having a conversation with Clementine, Lee manoeuvred his way past Carley and Gus; to the back of the RV.

Doug was drawn to the pose that Carley was making, one hand on hip and the other holding a gun in an upright position, like a spy or something, he just found it a quite compelling view, he simply stared at her, as she stood strong and beautifully, Carley noticed out the corner of his eye; Doug's captivated expression, his mouth was even slightly ajar, she turned her head in his direction, his heart began to beat faster; he wanted to look away;  
feign plausible deniability; but his eyes were attracted to her.

Carley didn't mind one bit; Doug just staring at her; it made her feel special; like she was his only one; a seductive smile submerged on her sparkling red lips, one that dazed Doug further; and forced a circular blush, one on both cheeks, seconds later Carley tucked her gun into her pocket, and guided her way slowly and sensually to a spot on the couch; beside Doug, dragging her gentle fingers across his lap, until she was seated beside him.

Carley was leaning on the couch, almost on her side, grinning from ear to ear at Doug; who was trying to hide the joyous emotions, he felt from simply staring into her mesmerising eyes, after what felt like hours; but was really only thirty seconds, a powerful force in Carley's hand was guided to the side of Doug's face; causing his heart to race at a faster pace, he eyes widened; he was still getting used to Carley's gentle touch; and Carley could feel the compelling warmth in his cheeks, her eyes were glued to him.

Carley then swayed her hand; and guiding Doug's face until it was perfectly aligned with hers, Doug was both calm, and nervous, the two were highly content with just gazing into each other's eyes; for eternity; if they could, Carley's hand was pleasantly resting on Doug right cheek, taking in the sensation of holding someone she cared deeply for; Doug never did think he would ever have a girlfriend; or at least; none as smart, kind or as beautiful as Carley was; she was a treasure to any spoiled seadog; but to him; she was much more special; and to think he thought Leonard and Penny's relationship in the Big Bang Theory was an impossible pairing, but he and Carley were proof to the contrary.

Carley then dragged her hand from Doug's cheek, to his neck, before pulling her face closer to his; and pressing her lips on the very edge of Doug's; it was an appropriately timed kiss of at least ten seconds; both giddy with eternal bliss; as they both have found that special someone; they found each other; that's the one positive thing to happen since all this began.

"Get a room, you two" a voice interrupted the moment between Carley and Doug, they both turned their heads, to find out it was Gus who said those words; he had been standing, and watching the entire time; while bearing a wide but proud smile; his comment was mostly a tease toward these two 'lovebirds' but even if he was teasing, he was happy for the two.

Carley knew exactly what Gus was aiming for, but she decided to use his tease to her own advantage; she wrapped an arm around Doug, testing her hand on his shoulder, Doug was slightly nervous by this action; but knew he would get used to it, Carley scooted herself closer to Doug; getting in very close proximity with him; which only enhanced Doug's anxiety levels; even though he was quite content with being close to her; it was still new to him, and required more time to get used to it.

Carley looked back at Gus; who was bearing a very smug smile; enjoying his small moment at teasing her and Doug, Carley decided to retaliate with a very direct quote "We would if we could" she spoke plainly, there was a look of dismay on his face; he was not expecting a direct comeback like that, but Doug was equally, if not more stunned; his eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw was slightly ajar, his heart was in a state of intense pumping, Carley then turned to stare back at Doug's stunned expression, she stared at him curiously before asking "…right, Dougie?".

Doug was in a state of panic; he couldn't summon up the strength to respond; then again he wasn't sure how to respond "Uhhh?" was all Doug could muster, Carley expected as much, she wasn't mad; in fact it was a win-win for her; she managed to throw off Gus; for his teasing remark, and got Doug to give her a nervous stare; his shy behaviour was cute; she thought, her curiosity turned to a soft and sweet smile, she leaned in close and gave Doug a soft press of her lips against his left cheek, his reaction consisted of a light smile; indicating his appreciation, Gus remained still, forced to watch this cheesy romantic moment between the two, and starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, "Awkward" he murmured to himself, before remembering that there was something else he had to do.

* * *

To the back of the RV, Ben rested his elbows atop the table, eyes closed and hands pressed against his forehead, like a depressed puppy, which was more or less as accurate as it could be, Ben was juggling so many emotions; sadness, anger, regret, guilt, it was all too much to handle, the predicament he was in now; came from a three week long mess of incidents, he wanted to suppress what he's been through, but Ben knew that the things he's been through could never be forgotten.

**"Ya'll ain't going nowhere" **a familiar and smug-ass voice shouted, the memories were not going away, Ben's closed eyes; tightened shut, his closed eye lids trembled and twitched, remembering bits and pieces of one day; that still plagued his thoughts.

**"Well lookie what we got here fella's" **a second equally smug but creepier voice echoed inside Ben's head, a brief view of him, Mr Parker, Travis and two other students; one was a girl; same age as him; Emily, they were all forced to the ground, on their knees, before another man wearing a red bandanna with white snowflakes on it, aiming a gun at them, three other men, dressed rather incognito-like; were surrounding them, himself, Mr Parker, Travis, Emily and other boy; Daniel; each of them were terrified, trying to come up with a plan of escape, unfortunately there was none, they were surprised that these 'Bandits' found their way into the gym; they thought was locked down tight.

Ben was trying hard to resist the memories that took form in his head; but his resistance to the matter was far too fragile and weak **"Ain't she a pretty thing?" **a third bearded man wearing sunglasses pointed out; perverted to the tongue, brushing a finger under the girl's chin, she averted her eyes; horrified by the man's disturbing touch and frightening tone.

Ben was able to prevent his memories from surfacing to images, but the voices were still as loud and clear as ever **"Well, what d'ya say boys? Are men like us not entitled to a bit 'fine dining' with this little lady?" **the obvious leader spoke, the mixture of sinister chuckles, combined with whimpering from Travis, himself and Emily; was all the more horrifying to relive, Ben dug his fingers into his forehead, desperate for the voices to stop.

**"Quit squirmin bitch" **the second creepy bandit shouted, followed by a painful sounding whack, it sounded painful; but it was nothing compared to the agonising wailings from the girl; crying and screaming immensely, grunting noises overlapping the distressing cries. Ben was lightly shaking his head sideways; whilst trying to not look suspicious, however Clementine had already taken notice and was really worried about the older boy, but Ben was too busy with his internal struggle to notice her attention on him.

**"Please, don't do this" **Mr Parker's voice echoed throughout his mind; Ben's facial expression became more disheartened, hearing his teacher's voice, the best teacher he's ever had; he coaxed Ben into pursuing a spot in the band; Ben was good with the drums, but failed to deliver satisfying results when the music speeds up; due to his clumsy nature, however he was a natural with a trumpet; a small one that didn't require too much quick movements.

**"Shut it asshole, before my boot reaches your face" **the Bandit furthest away from the scene shouted loudly; and in control; a voice of authority; the echo of the man's voice made Ben flinch radically; like a dodge to one side, at that moment Ben was close to tears; before he boldly pleaded **"Please just let us go" **and his frightened and tremblingfriend; Travis was equally eager to leave** "Yeah, we'll leave and you'll never see us again"**.

The Gym they found refuge in was more like an interrogation room at this point, and Ben and Travis's plead only served to make things worse** "Ya'll better shut the fuck up, or else I'll-" **the next thing that happened was the horrifying sound of a Walker barging into the room, gurgling sounds became increased; the door that bashed open had fallen on the aggravated Bandit and it was now chewing on the guys ear; ripping flesh off of him and feasting on the guys face; bit by bit.

Most of what happened next became a blur; a scrambled puzzle clouded by fear and denial **"Shoot every fuckin one of them" **one of Bandits voices cried, the ear-piercing boom of shots being fired upon an incoming wave of dead flesh-ridden monsters; who were piling in through the broken down door that had fallen on one of their allies; Ben recalled Mr Parker edging him, Travis and Daniel to move while the men were distracted with dealing with Walkers, none of the Bandits noticed, and the last thing Ben remembered seeing; was Travis looking stunned; seeing Emily curled up on the floor when a decayed female Walker's face flashed in his vision, followed by a loud pained cry **"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH".**

What happened shortly thereafter was the four of them were able to setup a camp in the woods; it was just him, Travis, Daniel and Mr Parker; they were the only known survivors left of their group, Emily was a very close friend of Ben's; he honestly cared for her; deeply; she gave him the strength to believe in himself, but since her apparent death; Ben was reduced to being his old, shy, clumsy self.

It was an early morning one day; possibly seven, seven-thirty in the morning, Ben, Travis and Mr Parker went off to a nearby stream, to grab a few bottles of clean water, four bottles at least, and Ben recalled how scarce their food situation was; Mr Parker told the boys they only had two Milky Ways, an Orange, and three cans of Spaghetti; their situation was indeed grim, however nothing compared to what happened next.

**"Kid tried to fuckin knife me" **A familiar voice cursed, triggering fear into the hearts of Ben, Travis and Mr Parker; just as they were nearing their camp, they crouched down and slowly made their way closer, but they were greeted to a gruesome scene; Daniel lying face first in a pool of his own blood, a hole in the back of the boy's head, Travis was seconds away from puking, and if Ben was not as stunned as he was, he would've fainted.

Ben and Travis's friend's blood stained the side of one of their two tents, there were four of them, dressed incognito-like; meaning they were the same guys who defiled Emily, Mr Parker was looking over his shoulder; looking for a direction to take in order to escape; whilst remaining concealed by the cover of bushes.

**"Piece of Shit can rot now!" **a random bandit commented, chuckling upon ending his sentence **"Spread out and gather any useful shit these assholes left behind, those other three dipshits can't be far from here" **ordered the man wearing a black ski-mask and white shirt; holding a Hunting Rifle **"Gary said to kill em" **a familiar bearded man with sunglasses commented, and another Bandit wearing dark blue jeans, medium blue buttoned shirt and dark blue cap 'he looks like a mailman' Mr Parker thought, having keen observation skills, the man hollered **"Hell yeah!" **and lightly chuckled, further frightening Ben and Travis.

Seconds later Mr Parker guided the boys away from their campsite; Parker's conscience became guilt-ridden; wishing he hadn't allowed Daniel to stay behind, he knew it was the wrong call; but he had more important things to worry about; keeping these two students safe; it was his responsibility as a teacher.

Once they got a safe enough distance away from their camp, they decided to sprint as fast their legs could manage; the further they were the better, the rest of Ben's recollections became more familiar and more recent; Mr Parker was ensnared by a bear trap, Travis ran away, Mr Parker's leg was hacked off, then died, and that leads to the present. Ben simply frowned upon the awful memories; all he could think about now was the words he said to Lee **"I keep wondering if I could have done something to help, you know? Some kind of… I don't know… something"** and Lee responding **"I'm sure you did all you could".**

Ben knew that was not true; thinking not just about what happened to Mr Parker, but stuff that happened before then; he could've tried to help Emily, he could've taken more action to go after Travis, he could've been stronger, braver and stuff like that, but his anxiety's held him back, he wanted to be as strong as these new people.

"Hey Kid" Ben flinched at his name being called, seeing it was Lee; eyeing him with scepticism, Ben's anxiety levels skyrocketed, his eyes bulged in wide space, searching for a quick sentence to dismiss any accusations or questions he might have; wondering how long Lee had seen him so statue-esque "Oh hey um what's up… Lee?" he stuttered his words, just managing to form a coherent response, but the lack of confidence in his tone, and his fake smile; which was clearly fake; was enough evidence for Lee to pinpoint that there was something wrong with the kid.

Lee's eyelids sloped sympathetically; knowing Ben had some uncertainties about his situation "You uh…doing okay?" he asked in his soft voice, appealing to his students; as someone they could talk to or rely on; was his job, supporting his students was the exact circumstance he found himself in with Clementine, Duck and Gus, and now Ben, though Ben wanted to admit the devastation's he's endured, he felt unsure whether now was the time, that and not being very familiar with anyone was another key ingredient in his 'keep to himself' manner, he wasn't completely convinced he could trust these people yet.

Ben was hesitant to explain his troubles, or for now at least, so he decided to make an excuse to throw away any concern that the man had for him, until he was comfortable in expressing his pain "Yeah man, just tired, I uh have a lot on my mind" Ben crossed his arms, staring at Lee and hoping that he bought his lie, Lee was more clever than Ben was giving him credit for, but realised it was better to allow Ben some space and let him deal with it in his own way or until he brought it up.

"I understand" Lee responded with a soft expression, Ben averted his gaze to his lap, curious as to whether Lee really did understand what it was like to lose friends you care about, though he believed everyone does since it all began, but his train of thought came to a halt when Lee made another input "I just came to give you this" reaching around to his gun, resting in his pants, Ben was taken aback by the sight of a gun; being presented to him.

Ben was wide-eyed and staring at the gun in Lee's hand; a mental image of the bloody hole in his friend; Daniel's head, he realised that Lee was offering this to him, a wicked flow of doubts plagued his thoughts as he stared blankly at the gun, Lee thought it best to explain his reasoning to kid, since he clearly had no means to defend himself from Walkers, or other survivors for that matter "We don't know the state of Atlanta yet, so we need to be prepared; it'll come in handy in case Atlanta's gone to shit".

Clementine felt the need to address Lee for cursing, but felt it wasn't the time to, Ben continued to stare at the gun, he had no intention of using a gun, he wasn't comfortable, the thought of using a gun to kill things was a petrifying distaste of his, regardless of who or what he was shooting, even the idea of shooting Walkers; sent shivers up his spine "I… I can't man, I… I've never held a gun before" Ben confessed; knowing how pathetic he sounded, but considering how dangerous they were, and clumsily natured he was, he felt it was best that he didn't hold one, not that he knew how to handle them correctly anyway, his fear of guns formed into insecure words of doubt "They make me… well uneasy".

Lee understood Ben's concerns, in fact before all this; he himself had never handled a gun; it was through immense research into World Wars and other such battles; he attained his knowledge from his books and computers; though he was confident in his ability to use guns, he was no sharpshooter like Carley, so he did understand where Ben was coming from "Makes sense, but depending on the situation in Atlanta… you may not have a choice Ben".

Ben was fiercely afraid of holding a gun, that and it felt too soon to be using one; considering what those 'Bandits' did to his friend; Daniel, and knowing that he was more of the hang back sort of person "I… I'll just… y'know… stay close, I mean…" Lee could see the desperation in his shifty eyes, and the stuttering in his voice, it was clear he wouldn't be much help if he wasn't confident with its use "I don't think I could handle a gun, y'know?" Ben confessed, with a pleading look at Lee, hoping he would respect and understand his concerns.

Lee gave it some thought, realising that without the proper training; Ben was right; guns were dangerous; heck he wasn't entirely certain that giving Clementine a gun was a good idea; though he had considered, but now was not the time, but made a mental note to tell Kenny and Carley about the possibility of gun handling practice, Carley was quite skilled with guns, Kenny had medium amounts of experience, even Gus was a dead shot with his Mossberg Shotgun, he figured it was wise for people to understand how a gun operates before throwing guns to inexperienced shooters like Ben, Doug and Clementine; though he had a problem with Clem using guns, he figured that was the way it has to be.

Lee's silence served to create goose bumps on Ben, eager to hear an approval; to address his concerns about holding a gun, surely enough; Lee gazed at Ben; showing compassion and understanding glimmers of light in his eyes, as he spoke "Okay, I understand, but you'll have to stay close to Katjaa, Duck and Clementine, the rest of us will be ready to clear a path" Ben's expression was concern, but relieved, scared that Atlanta might be a dangerous place to go, since Lee sounded so sure that it was "if need be" Lee added but sounding a bit unsure of the possibility, but tried to think positive, it's what Clementine needs… hope.

A slight smile came to surface on his face, he was still nervous, but it was more about getting to Atlanta, than it was simply fear of holding a gun, he was glad not to have that weapon rest in his hand, following someone else was more his pace "No sweat, man" he complied with a gratified smile, but remaining serious about things.

* * *

Gus had just finished placing something extra into his backpack, it would come in handy if they had to ditch the RV outside of the city of Atlanta, especially if it was overrun by Walkers, though he tried to remain positive, reminding himself 'The game ain't over, until you know what you're up against' which is why precautions were necessary, he pulled at the strap of his backpack, and threw it on and over his shoulder, 'five more minutes, not knowing is half the fun? (Light scoff) Isn't exactly the case anymore' he thought to himself, he felt ready for the big city, or so he hopes.

After Lee gives Ben two friendly supportive pats on the shoulder, Lee then moves a few steps toward the right side of the RV, the side where Clementine was seated, Lee was eyeing Clementine, smiling at her, she was smiling back, she looked at Duck; who was close beside her, upon realising she was staring at him, he looked awkwardly confused, she began to fill the gap, moving closer to her friend, Duck seemed to get the picture; as he began to move further apart from Clem, to allow Lee to have some space beside her.

Clementine was staring up at Lee; with big wide eyes of admiration, and a cute smile to boot, Lee half replicated the same look; though his eyes not quite as wide, and his smile not quite as stretched; he didn't want to end up looking like Heath Ledgers; Joker (RIP), that would creep her out "How are the drawings coming along Clem?" he asked in a soft and considerate tone, intrigued to see her working on another picture, he half wondered whether this one was for him; but it appeared to be too early to say; due to only seeing green lines; most likely grass, and yellow flower like objects, either way he was curious.

Truth was Lee was keen to see if Clementine had an understanding of what was happening, as he did not want Clementine to be left in the dark, encase Atlanta turns out to be a death trap; he was simply taking proper precautions, and he didn't want Clem to be blind by what was happening "Good, I wish I had some more colours though" Clem explained gleefully, Lee was amazed by how calm she was, how oblivious she was, to see her so easy going, though it made him extra wary, and concerned, but Clem was known for having high spirits, but she clearly understood how to take a situation seriously also, as reminded by Ben being brought back to the Motor Inn, and she lead Ben away from the rising tension between Kenny and Gus, she was quite mature for her age, and equally as innocent.

Lee made a mental note of that, his to-do list if you will "We'll find some more when we get a chance" he stated with a promising glance, anything he could do to make Clementine happy; he wouldn't pass up a chance to do so.

Clementine appreciated Lee's offer, she smiled, but stared down at her lap, she had something on her mind, something she had been meaning to ask him "Lee?" she spoke really softly; instantly grabbing Lee's full attention; her sweet innocent voice had a real knack for getting his fully undivided attention, he found himself becoming concerned; before even hearing what she had to say, was he developing parental instincts?

"Yeah?" Lee answered with a look of consideration planted in his eyes, he was worried about her now, whenever Clementine said his name in such a sweet and questioning tone like that; it was always a serious matter, or something that deeply concerned her, he was worried about what could be troubling her "Do people get mad when they're scared?" Clementine sprung out the question that had been nagging at her for a while, Lee wasn't prepared for such a question, he thought Clementine's concern would be far more… concerning, he wondered why she was asking him that?

Despite his scepticism of the question, he nodded his head in confirmation and understanding "Sometimes; yeah they do" Lee answered, though left blind by the reason for her question, Clementine sunk her head down low to allow Lee's response to sink in, Lee became more concerned, he was about to ask her what was wrong? But Clementine beat him to it with another question "Is that why Kenny's always mad?"

The question itself coming from Clementine; was a curious one, was Kenny's attitude scaring her? It would be understandable; Kenny was like a terrifying stubborn bull; in a ring with a scrawny little man wearing nothing but red underpants, regardless; was that what was worrying her? Lee wasn't quite sure Clem fully understood why Kenny was in fact so mad all the time, he half opened his mouth; expecting the words to come naturally; as they did at the UGA; in class, but this was Clementine he was trying to tell; he didn't want Clem to get the wrong impression of Kenny, because he really was a good man; sure he had a temper, but Lee knew it was all for the concern he had for the safety of his family.

"He's just looking out for Katjaa and Duck" Lee explained through a considerate tone, trying to give Clem an insight to Kenny's perspective, and that Kenny was in fact scared to death of losing his family, which really sums up the kind of person Kenny was "But yeah I guess so" Lee added, so Clem knew that Kenny was mad because of his constant fear of losing the only thing he held important to him.

"My parents don't talk to me, when I get in trouble" Clementine stated with a hint of sadness in her voice, Lee chose not to respond, talking about her parents only seems to make him feel ashamed; for keeping the status of her parents to himself, lying was a dangerous game; he realised that was something… Vanessa; his wife; did, telling him she was happy, sad thing was; he knew she was lying, he just never acted, never had the time, or rather he never tried.

Lee simply shook his head, softly; his thoughts were now with his wife; he wanted to forget about last night, but he couldn't, it felt so real, yet so fake, he had been wondering what it meant, his wife, appearing like that; by the tree's, though there was one thing he did notice; she was smiling, though it had been a while since he had seen such a real smile like that from her, Lee's eyes were starting to widen in realisation, she wore that red dress for his 37th birthday; nine months ago, could it mean? That was the last time she was really truly happy? Lee wasn't convinced that was it, it felt like more of a warning, or did her ghostly appearance symbolise something important?

"So…" Clem's voice started, Lee's attention snapped back into reality, like her voice was a summoning of some kind "Where are we going?" Clementine added with a soft questioning stare, Lee figured she knew, what with all the arguing going on, or was she leading him to another question? Regardless he decided to clear the confusion, by explaining in a soft, but serious voice "Atlanta, we might be able to find that guy on the radio".

"Do you think I'll find my parents there?" Clementine suddenly asked, Lee was stunned on the inside, he had no idea how to respond, he had to say something, he looked at Clem's face; only to see the expectation of the truth in her eyes, her level of hope was seemingly high, just from the look in her face; you could tell, not being able to bring back her parents, or tell her about the fate of her parents; it saddened him deeply, he noticed a small cringe form her lip, she was scared, worried, and Lee's silence only served to worry her even more.

Lee then lowered his head, unable to look at the little girl, unable to confess the truth behind her parents, Clementine realised what downing his head meant; they weren't there, Lee didn't think they were, that's what she pieced together, based on the silent treatment, she lowered her head in response, she could feel sad emotions, flowing through her body, and to her head, she felt a stream of tears was ready to give way, but she knew she had to be brave, but her parents meant everything to her.

Lee realised he couldn't just stay quiet at a time like this, Clementine needed his support, she needed a reason to keep believing, staring at her with a saddened frown, opening his mouth "Hey Lee! Ya gonna wanna see this" Kenny interrupted, Lee had to say something to Clem, but upon looking back at her, he could see every ounce of her being subside, she was scared, that much was clear, Lee wished he could be the guardian that she deserved, able to cure any pain, but he couldn't, Clem knew that whatever Lee said, wouldn't magically bring her parents to her, but Lee was good at giving her a sense of hope, Clementine gave Lee a nod of understanding, Lee couldn't think of any way he could reassure the little girl, except by nodding back.

Turning his back on Clem was a hard act to do, as he stood up to head to the front of the RV, Gus, Carley and Doug have gathered to the front also, and were each in a state of awe, though Lee was unaware of this, as he squeezed past Gus and Doug "Okay? So what's the…Oh my God".

Lee's expression went completely 180, eyes as wide as wide could be, and jaw as down as its physical limit would allow; Atlanta? It looked almost like ancient ruins that once was; a great city, the long highway was completely empty, or at least the side they were on was, but on the left lane of the highway was completely jam-packed with abandoned vehicles, the city itself had this dreary atmosphere, almost haunting, the buildings in the distance were almost a warning in its own respect, the city was completely deserted, no signs of life, protection or anything for that matter, the first impression of this city in terms of safety was already a quite negative one.

Lee couldn't believe this city just up ahead; was Atlanta, this was somewhere between horrific and spooky, Carley's eyes were dashed, all her hopes had sunk to a new low, this was not what she had been expecting, edging herself closer to Doug; who looked quite stressed, afraid would be a better word, wondering just how Atlanta had fallen from grace in such a small span of time; four weeks tomorrow, and Atlanta looked like it was in the middle of World War 3, minus structural damage.

"Jesus, I haven't been here since I was a kid" Gus admitted, staring at the city just ahead of them, this was definitely not what he had expected to see, none of them could grasp what they were seeing, Kenny's jaw was completely ajar, 'Looks like some asshole, bombed the hell outta this place' then again he was sure, his assumption wasn't too far from the truth, and upon hearing Gus refer back to how Atlanta used to be, he asked out of curiosity, while hinting a wise-ass attempt at criticism "Feeling any warm fuzzy feelings?".

Gus just stared for a few more seconds, everyone else was in equal dismay of the current state of this once thriving city, each of the group had some form of affiliation with this fare city, Carley; WABE, Ben; made regular trips into the city on weekends, or so he told Gus at least, Lee; UGA and of course there was himself; regular check-ups on his eyes and heart; having been born with some sort of weird heart condition that he himself knew nothing about, anyway Gus felt he spoke for everyone when he said "Not exactly" as they drove toward this lumbering city.

* * *

**INTRO (Play the Walking Dead theme music as you read my new version of the show's intro)**

**A Backyard Fence, with the Woods beyond the other side**

**A door handle clumsily turns**

**An angled shot of a hill, with a broken road barrier; A Police Car rolled on an angle; diagonally, with a blood trail leading into the woods, text: 'Lee Everett (Dave Fennoy)' forms in between the broken Road Barrier**

**An angled shot of the Atlanta Telegraph Newspaper with a photograph of a Police Officer; OFFICER SHOT, a Sheriff Badge is rested on the top, far right corner of the paper, text: Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) forms below the Sheriff Badge **

**A straight up shot of a Tree house, with no ladder, and Tyre Swing hanging from a branch, a Red Wagon is at the edge of the shot, on the grass was a Teapot and Teacups laying on a small pink blanket, text: Clementine (Melissa Hutchison) forms dead centre of the shot **

**A straight up shot of a photo on the wall, of a Police Officer standing in front of the American Flag, the photo frame glass has been smashed, shattered, the photo took up the whole right side of the shot, and on the left is plain wallpaper, text: Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) forms beside the photo**

**A straight up shot of a tractor, with a trailer attached to the back of it, at the front of the tractor was a puddle of blood, a barricaded fence can be seen behind it, and a large stretch of land beyond, just above the tractor; text: Kenny (Gavin Hammon) forms over the colour of blue skies **

**A straight up shot of a barricaded wall, and beyond it was three separate buildings, a tall sign pointing passed the wall, which read 'Travelier Motel' and beside the sign, text: Gus Jacob (Josh Gad) forms beside the point of the sign (Think Milton from season 3 with Josh Gad's hair: that's who Gus looks like, but hair less messy) **

**A straight up shot of a forest, and in the mid-section of one tree that took up half of the left side of the shot; Two Arrows were sticking out of the tree, in the background was an entire forest, text: Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) forms in between the two arrows **

**An angled shot of a radio lying on top of a table, a Glock 17 handgun resting beside it, with some stray batteries standing upright, text: Carley (Nicole Vigil) forms beside the radio, in between two stray batteries **

**A straight up shot of a red toolbox, positioned diagonally, with a bloodied wrench on top, the toolbox was in front of a wheel; three shady wheels were in sight, text: Doug (Sam Joan) forms beside the red toolbox **

**A straight up shot of a torn photo of a beautiful middle aged woman with shattered glass piling over the right side of the photo, with bits of rubble piled over it, text: Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) forms just above a random shard of glass **

**An angled shot from a small cliff overlooking the valley; tree's overlooking and overshadowing the lake known as the Quarry, and toward the side of cliffs, furthest away; in the water was a small boat, text: Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) forms just above the point of the tip of a tree, close to the centre of the shot, over the water**

**A straight up shot of the RV on a small hill, one tree can be seen on the far left of the shot, a fold up chair rest on top of the RV, beside the chair, to the right is the RV's antenna, and on the left side of the chair is the roof hatch, with an old radio and two cups resting on top of the hatch, the RV door is wide open, text: Dale Horvath (Jeffery DeMunn) forms above the RV, over the clouds **

**From a top angled view, a railing and a ladder, to the top right hand side of the shot is a portion of the alleyway (Where Rick first physically meets Glenn) the gate they ran through is just slightly visible, text: Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun) forms over an array of pipes connection to the side of the building **

**A straight up shot; close up of the bloody bear trap with a severed leg ensnared in the trap; which covers the right side of the shot, the left side is a shining light beaming down on a path through the woods, text: Ben Paul (Trevor Hoffmann) forms just to the left of the bear trap**

**A straight up shot of an open grassy area, with tree's and bush's just off in the distance, and just further on is a shot of the Atlanta buildings, the bottom of the screen shows four dug up holes in the ground, with a shovel left in the middle of the shot, text: Andrea (Laurie Holden) forms just above the handle end of the shovel**

**A Police station in King County, Georgia**

**Train tracks and a walkway over the tracks that lead into Atlanta**

**The devastated streets of Atlanta**

**The Drug Store in Macon**

**An angled shot of the back of the prison bus, and Gil's Pitstop in the distance**

**A crow chewing at a teddy bear**

**Some power polls; electricity wires connecting to the next in the fields**

**Clementine's house and the cars blocking the road**

**The city of Atlanta; with cars cramped in the left lane, and the right lane is empty**

**THE WALKING DEAD: TWO WORLDS: SEASON 1**

* * *

**How was the intro? inspired by Guest 1 Rew**

**What did you guys think? sorry to leave you hanging I'll try to get the next chapter up in a week or so, but it'll be a good one: with Lee and the group finally meeting Rick and Glenn, I hope you guys liked the tie in to 400 days with Gil's pitstop and Vince and Danny, which was a great suggestion left to me by Guest 1 Rew (Check out his awesome collection of stories) and I hope the implied 'rape' wasn't too over the top; but Telltale intended to have it as the intro to Ben's character, rape is sick; and anyone who does such a thing should be sentenced to life in prison, and did you guys notice the highlighted section for Gus regarding his thoughts on trust and his past, it is important: I won't say why, but I'll drop some hints from time to time, and when the time comes it'll all make sense, here's a question for you guys to think about: Should Shane know of Lee's past? I'd love to know what you guys think, feel free to leave reviews, suggestions or questions, I'm always happy to read them, and I forgot to say but: come the next half of season 4: we'll have an exclusive Daryl and Beth episode: AWESOME, and SPOILER ALERT: someone who is still alive in the comics: is going to die at the end of season 4: I believe its either Maggie or Michonne, but let's hear what you think, Adios my friends, Adios. **


End file.
